http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/rss 卑弥呼's latest journal entries Lang-8 Inc. Thu May 23 17:02:49 UTC 2013 Thu May 23 17:02:49 UTC 2013 Lang-8 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Lang-8


I ran across an interesting article on the Web about Japanese cute culture. You can see a list of 30 most popular corporate mascots in Japan here:
http://whatjapanthinks.com/2008/05/11/top-thirty-cutest-corporate-mascots-in-japan/

I’ll pick out some cuties from the list.

The left picture is Morinaga Chocoball’s Kyoro-chan(森永チョコボールのキョロちゃん), the No.1 cute mascot in the list. Yes, he’s absolutely cute! I was using a Kyo-chan alarm clock when I was young in my parents’ house. Every weekday morning, it went “Kue kue kue...asagohan...Itadakimaaaasu!”, translated: “ Eat eat eat ...breakfast...itadakimasu(a phrase Japanese say right before having meals)!” with fun music.

The middle one is the No.2 in the list. It’s KDDI (a tele communication company, know for its au mobile phones)'s Lismo. I wonder why this squirrel is that popular because it’s face is blank. There seems nothing giving off cuteness in it...

The cute, round-faced penguin in the right picture is my favorite! It placed No. 15 in the list, but in my own list, it’s No.1! You can see the penguin at the JR train stations across Kanto region if you’re living in Japan. Every time I walk past the cute faces of this penguin in train stations, it put a smile on my face. I like round-shaped things. Some of you may have noticed that it’s mouth(or nose?) looks like a coffee bean. =p I believe that’s what makes the penguin even cuter! Though I love this penguin so much and it’s been my favorite for at least a year, I learned the penguin’s name just a little while ago. It’s called Suippi. How sweet!

Posted at Mon Jun 08 13:31:15 UTC 2009
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/167506 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/167506 卑弥呼 Mon Jun 08 13:31:15 UTC 2009
Japan's English education often teaches us wrong English (I'm one of the victims of it's negative influence!) so I've been thinking that I should destroy the huge wall between Japanese English (I mean, English spoken incorrectly by Japanse) and real English. I like collect information and edit it. I don't have a friend who's a native speaker of English, and I don't go to school to study English either, but I think there's still something I can do to help people who are working very hard to improve their ability to properly express their thoughts and feelings in English. I want to help others with my knowledge about English language even if they're just pieces of information gathered from books, web articles, and podcasts. I'm cautious about unnatural English that Japanese teachers and writers of English textbooks use, sometimes too cautious about it. I can't blame them because they don't mean to make English learners confused or learn funny English usage.

PC, for example, is one of the most familiar words that confuses Japanese people. In Japanese, computers are called PC or pasokon (abbreviation for personal computer), and computers in the office or cyber cafes are called PC or pasokon as well. In English, they don't seem to call shared computers PC. They call them just computers, not "personal" computers. But when Japanese talk in English about computers in public spaces like libraries or workplaces that are used by a lot of different people, they tend to call them PCs rather than computers. That's why I created the Katakana English Busters! But currently this list is empty =< I'll add words and phrases as frequently as I can! I think I should help myself first. I'll work harder than before in order to help people by improve my English skills

By the way, is my understanding of the usage of the word PC and computer in English correct? Native speakers' validations are required!

Posted at Tue May 12 02:55:27 UTC 2009
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/145701 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/145701 卑弥呼 Tue May 12 02:55:27 UTC 2009
I know I tend to be a little bit self-centered, but from a different perspective, this can be viewed as a strength that has been making me tolerant of different points of view because I think it's fair to accept people's shortcomings in return for their acceptance of my changeable, rather individualistic nature. So, I generally find good sides of people rather than point out what is lucking or not enough. This works very well to motivate people, and myself!

Also, I've narrowed down my language study to only English because I don't have any particular purpose for studying Mandarin (actually, the purpose for studying English isn't clear either...I just want to enjoy science and psychology-related articles written in Englsih on the Web.) Maybe I've bitten a little too much. Most of the time, my mind is disorganized because I'm helplessly inquisitive so I often end up achieving nothing.

Posted at Sun Jan 18 08:37:11 UTC 2009
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/72282 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/72282 卑弥呼 Sun Jan 18 08:37:11 UTC 2009

tODAY, I'm gonnna right あん Engrish journal. Writing this way si anusing, bat readers 'll get annoied, I'm sure. I have too exprain why I write this cragy journal. I was in my futon latte last knight and subbenly this "Engrish" idea popped up in my minde.

Maibe I sould go now. Tank you.

I'm knot drunk now. I dring onse in 4 or 5 years.

Posted at Fri Jan 02 00:45:44 UTC 2009
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/64604 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/64604 卑弥呼 Fri Jan 02 00:45:44 UTC 2009 <`～´> Why didn't they stay at home on New Year's Day? Was it that the used stuff collectors were too poor to take a day off? I wish there was a law to stop that kind of activity at least on New Year's Day morning!!

Posted at Fri Jan 02 00:09:07 UTC 2009
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/64601 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/64601 卑弥呼 Fri Jan 02 00:09:07 UTC 2009
I read an article about writing early this morning:


“A Strategy for Success
Keep in mind that native speakers of English seldom use articles incorrectly; therefore, any errors that you make are very noticeable and distracting to them. That is why you should make an effort to use articles correctly. ”

source:http://www.ccp.rpi.edu/esl.html


How strict the English grammar is! I feel I'm a complete idiot. I know it's not that easy to use articles properly, but this is really depressing. It's hard to measure your progress because the progress you've made is always invisible. Sometimes you would misjudge your abilities. At one point you assume your English has improved because native speakers you're talking with don't mention your grammatical mistakes or unnatural word usage, but actually you haven't make any progress and just feeling comfortable with the familiar surroundings you've been in for a long time. At another point you feel your English skills have deteriorated, but underneath your skills have really improved even though you can't believe it.



What do you think is the trickiest part in learning foreign language, in your case? I think there must be some defferences between languages.

Posted at Mon Dec 29 00:27:38 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/63145 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/63145 卑弥呼 Mon Dec 29 00:27:38 UTC 2008
I've been worrying that my ability to write in English has become worse because I've been reading much more Japanese than English lately. I feel my brain has completely swetched from English to Japanese mode. But I've also been reading Freakonomics, which I found at a local library, in English. As you can assume from my previous posts, I like eccentric, offbeat stuff. The problem with reading this book is, it contains many unfamiliar terms. I don't know much about the U.S. economy, I think this makes it difficult for me to understand what the authors say.

By the way, I feel like eating some nuts, preferably cashew nuts and walnuts, with a plate of stir-fried cabbage (with soy sauce).

I can't be hibernating during winter like bears or racoons. I have a lot to do!! I'm going to be busy over the holidays seeing my friends and reading books and a rediculous amount of bookmarked pages on the Web I've forgotten about for a long time. Before I work on these things, I'm already exhausted just thinking about it...

Posted at Sat Dec 27 21:21:37 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/62767 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/62767 卑弥呼 Sat Dec 27 21:21:37 UTC 2008
The monster I'm going to talk about today is named Grover, of Sesame Street. His voice is very unique, it sometimes sounds like a young girl's voice and sometimes monsterous. But regardless, that's cute! I like his round head and chubby tummy (his entire body is wiry though). He always attempts to help people but fails all the time. He's a really hard working monster. He works as a waiter at several restaurants, a taxi driver, an elevator operator, a door-to-door sales man, and a lot of other roles, but instead of pleasing customers, he always upsets and perplexes the customers by his mistreatment. He just seems to be interrupting what should be pleasurable times in people's lives.

He's always here, there and everywhere! His ubiquity is so funny. I suppose he never sleep, and he is always working. Isn't there something wrong? Think about it. He is a child monster. What he's doing is a child labor!! How awful... And what's more, he sometimes teaches students in school as a professor.

If a waiter like him was exsist in the real world, it would really disturbing. We won't get what we want when the troubled waiter serves us at a restaurant or a hot dog stand!


Here's His "abusive service" to the poor customer Fat Blue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5xHXevVbhg&mode=related&search=




And this will make your life brighter, I promiss!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNMwRH5UGYY&mode=related&search=Classic%20Sesame%20Street%20Grover%20Frank%20Oz%20Muppets%201970

Posted at Thu Dec 11 08:40:51 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/55922 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/55922 卑弥呼 Thu Dec 11 08:40:51 UTC 2008
Um...how do I conclude this topic? I'm not sure but anyway, don't you think that the Japanese prime minister changes too frequently?

Posted at Tue Dec 09 08:37:05 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/54952 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/54952 卑弥呼 Tue Dec 09 08:37:05 UTC 2008
Have you ever heard of the TV-B-Gone? What do you think if a TV in a public space would suddenly be turned off by someone with a tiny device? Do you think it's possible? Yes, it seems possible in somewhere in the world. The device designed to turn off annoying and noisy TVs in public places is called TV-B-Gone. Did you know about that? The tiny universal remote control device is supposed to be able to turn off almost any TV in restraurants, pubs, or other public places. I wonder how the citizens reacted when the device had come on the market. It's conceivable that it will lead to an argument or even a fight if someone abruptly turns off the TV just he or she is annoyed by the noise when other people are whatching the TV in an airport, for instance. Hasn't there been any controversy?

Since I've been leading a TV-free life for more than two years, I have no objection to this idea. I have also been microwave-free for almost four years! Do you think it's impossible to live without a TV and a microwave?

I'm sure that TV is a real time thief, but as a human being, I understand the fact that the time-wasting activities are often exciting and pleasurable even if they won't produce anything. I personally don't think Japanese TV shows provide me any useful information. For some people, Japanese comedy shows are sometimes offensive and hard to accept because of their violent features. Japanese comedians often slap their guests in the heads, on the shoulders, or on the other part of the bodies. That's not unusual here. The bad thing is that some people in Japan even think that that's one of ways to show affection towards others. I just don't understand. I think the idea that expressing intimacy in such a questionable way is lacking respect for humans.

I want to be able to understand those humorous and sarcastic comedy shows in the US that deal with politics and social affairs (and impressions of politicians). It's not easy to get accustomed to the sense of humor in other country though. I'm very curious about cross-cultural defferences in sense of humor.

Posted at Mon Dec 08 12:15:08 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/54539 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/54539 卑弥呼 Mon Dec 08 12:15:08 UTC 2008
I'm a restless person and my mind is changeable. I have many interests in many different areas. Ironically, it sometimes makes me feel stuck in an apathetic mood.

I have a loud voice so I won the first prize in "Who has the loudest voice" competition held at a local supermarket's parking lot when I was a child. What I received as a winner was a 500 yen gift card (equivalent of about four rice balls at convenience stores).

I'm always craving for knowledge and odd news.



So, this is completely irrelevant question, but could anyone tell me what American food exactly is? I mean, we have sushi, yakitori, okonomiyaki, natto, etc as japanese food, but what about America? Meat pie? Turkey?...Um...I have no idea.

Posted at Mon Dec 01 09:42:37 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/51162 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/51162 卑弥呼 Mon Dec 01 09:42:37 UTC 2008


“It is unfortunate that the MTA has requested the removal of our scented bus shelter ads,’ the milk board said.”
- Reuters Dec. 5, 2006



...Poor milk board.

This is a news story that I read in 2006, almost two years ago. The summary of the story is this: the California Milk Processor Board posted chocolate chip cookie-scented adhesive straps under the bus benches and inside the shelters in San Francisco to promote milk to passengers and passer-bys. The milk board was thinking that smell of backed cookies would make people want to drink hot milk. Their campaign was ended after they were asked to remove all scented ads.




“The campaign has made news -- partly because it's the first of its kind in the nation, and partly because this being San Francisco, there's controversy.”

“Criticism has come from animal-rights advocates who oppose the dairy industry and from those against promoting food products when there's hunger in the world. But leading the charge against the campaign have been activists in the scent-sensitive community who are upset that public space is being invaded with another aroma that, they fear, can induce headaches and nausea and trigger asthma attacks.”
- San Francisco Chronicle December 5, 2006




What's so funny is that the the milk board's charming marketing strategy had failed to promote their products and caused controversy, then it's been coverd by the news media. In Japan, news stories like this won't provoke any controversy in most cases. I want Japanese media to cover this kind of hiralious news more. I want to thank people who have good sense of humor to come up with weird canpaign strategies like this. I'm not kidding. I think so seriously. People like that would make the world less scary place to live.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of sweet smells, especially when my stomach is full. I eat or drink sweet food products less than once a month. I'm not an obsessive dieter or a health food junkie. I just don't have a sweet tooth. I can't stand the taste of dark-colored chocolate. Also I don't like to feel confined by senseless rules, and most importantly, I don't think that I need to lose any weight in the first place. I won't be viewed as thin by the standard of today's Japanese women's average figure, yet I'm not so large. In fact, I don't much care what people think of my appearance. I just enjoy what I love to do, and I think this attitude is the most effective cure for stressful, hectic, and unfulfilled life. Life is too short to worry about things like that, isn't it? I know there're a lot of people who don't like to be skinny but can't gain any weight no matter how hard they try. But there're obviously women who are unnecessarily and constantly making a tremendous effort to maintain an extra skinny figure. I'm a bit exaggerating, but for women who never need to lose weight, I think it's just a waste of energy, and money also! Many Japanese drug stores (pharmacies??) have various weght loss products including pills, special diet foods, weight loss teas, and so forth. For foreigners, there're apparently not so many severely overweight people in Japan, and that often surprises them. I think obesity has nothing to do with one's will power. It's just a learned habit and hard to change in a short period of time.

Ah…I'm running out of soy sause!! I should go get it sometime soon.

Posted at Sat Nov 29 13:54:46 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/50370 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/50370 卑弥呼 Sat Nov 29 13:54:46 UTC 2008
This is a completely subjective view though.

The funniest story I've read on the Web this year is an arrest of a woman in Ohio who was chasing children and blocked traffic while wearing a cow suit. Cow suit!! According to several news articles, she also ur***ted (this might be a little rude) on a neighbor's front porch. In the end, she was charged with disorderly conduct.

This is really funny! I couldn't stop myself laughing repeatedly at the time I found a news article about this story. What makes a woman do such crazy things in cow suit? This was not a terrible crime. There was seemingly nobody who was severely injured or offended. I don't know to what extent she was blocking the traffic but it didn't sound so devastating. News media also reported that she was intoxicated. And here's one more incredible thing; she's been arrested more than 50 times on a variety of charges before!! I can't believe this, but still can't stop laughing.

I'd rather wear a giant panda suit or Godzilla one. But will it worth wearing an animal suit and walking down the streets? I can't see what the benefit is.

Posted at Fri Nov 28 16:21:17 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/50012 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/50012 卑弥呼 Fri Nov 28 16:21:17 UTC 2008
I should admit that on my profile, I'm supposed to be learning Mandarin, but actually I've made no progress since I joined this community. I've been wondering whether or not I should put only English in Language of Study box on my profile. But my passion and curiosity for China and it's language haven't changed. Maybe I'll try some lessons for beginners before New Year.......

Posted at Wed Nov 26 00:40:00 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/48651 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/48651 卑弥呼 Wed Nov 26 00:40:00 UTC 2008

By the way, I borrowed three books from a public library today. The authors of the books are from three different countries; Canadian, British, and American. This will make me learn mixed English, but both of three books seemed really intriguing, so I picked them from the shelves knowing that I can't finish them all by the day they must to be returned. I'll be busy reading them tonight...I don't think I can put words together any longer at the moment. I don't even know why I'm writing now. Maybe this entry looks like a journal of a kindergardener.

Posted at Sat Nov 22 07:17:47 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/46929 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/46929 卑弥呼 Sat Nov 22 07:17:47 UTC 2008
Here's another Japan-related stuff:

Once I read a book about how to tell people's persoalities by observing their behavior patterns. This is one part of the book: A person who holds the closest part of the chopsticks' upper ends is possibly self-centered. ― I do like this. Oh...I'm selfish!! I think it's true up to a point. But I should note that this isn't scientifecally confirmed. And I don't intend to offend someone, of course! There's probably many considerate people who use chopsticks that way, because many foreigners say that Japanese are surprisingly nice and friendly.

Posted at Wed Nov 19 23:18:32 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/46001 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/46001 卑弥呼 Wed Nov 19 23:18:32 UTC 2008

My English at the moment contains expressions that native speakers find strange or rarely use, and word choice is also a part of my concerns. But I believe that only practice enable me to make progress. I won't shy away from writing because I love to write, in both English and Japanese.

Posted at Sat Nov 15 12:23:42 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/44224 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/44224 卑弥呼 Sat Nov 15 12:23:42 UTC 2008
My interests concerned with this question are:

・food-mood connection (how food we eat affects our brains)←Is this way of using "food" correct?
・toxic foods like fast food and convenience food
・harmful ingredients like preservatives, trans fat, and an excessive amount of sugar or fat
・food safety

I'm a very inquisitive person like a little child. Instead of asking my mom or adults around me, I always ask my computer. I mean, I search the Web and find the answer. I also ask liblaries but Internet is more entertaining and informative, I think. Most of public liblaries in Japan are totally free, but at times I should pay a little for my future. I'll do when necessary.

Posted at Thu Nov 13 12:57:14 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/43373 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/43373 卑弥呼 Thu Nov 13 12:57:14 UTC 2008
Recently I came across an interesting article when I was googling "gut feeling". More than half of the time, I take actions and choose things according to my feelings rather than following only logical thoughts. I think it really helped me in any occasion. I believe everybody has this somewhat wierd abilities but today's civilized society forces us to suppress them. My question is, if you can tell what will happen in 30 minutes, or if you can read what people are thinking, then what whould you like to do? My ansewer is perhaps not appropriate for the quastion. I want a little bit of these abilities because if I can predict everything in the world and others do the same, the place we are living will be so boring and our eagerness for learning will desappear. That's too sad. But I think a bit of them will enrich our lives.


I'm a word lover, so once I began writing I can't stop it though my English is a little bit funny.

Posted at Wed Nov 12 13:38:57 UTC 2008
]]> http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/42987 http://lang-8.com/18878/journals/42987 卑弥呼 Wed Nov 12 13:38:57 UTC 2008