There were performances all day, special events, acts, lots of food stalls and evening fireworks. I was invited to bring my wandering mime and balloon art act for the middle of the day-- for about four hours.
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Showing posts with label Current Events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Current Events. Show all posts
August 02, 2010
Back to Street Performing-- That is, Festival Performing: Shimizu Harbor Festival
There were performances all day, special events, acts, lots of food stalls and evening fireworks. I was invited to bring my wandering mime and balloon art act for the middle of the day-- for about four hours.
March 31, 2010
Jaime Escalante and 'The Other Johnny'
I read today that the math teacher, Jaime Escalante, died at 79. He became famous when a 1988 movie, Stand and Deliver, depicted the teacher, a Bolivian immigrant, as he transformed students in an inner-city Los Angeles high school into math aces. At one point, the school had more students studying advanced calculus than all but three other state schools in the US.
Amazingly, this week I'd shared with my students this story told by Zig Ziglar.
March 01, 2010
Tiny Tsunami! Did You Say Salami? Andrew Said, 'Baloney'!
Yesterday there was a tsunami warning. We were asked to evacuate our seaside home as a precaution.
February 27, 2010
Media Madness-- Our Choice
It's the menace that everyone loves to hate but can't seem to live without. -Paddy ChayevskyKyle Cunningham wrote:
"I was just thinking. Do you plan to do a post on OUR part in this?-- That they show us what we want."Hmm... Do you think I can be THAT truthful?...
February 23, 2010
Surfing More Media Madness
Post Five on Media Madness
I know it sounded in my last posts that I'm a bit of a Luddite, but I'm not. I know that television has some beauty and good, but... well I've said enough about TV. I promised that I would talk about the new strangers, the ones who make the old family friend, TV, seem somewhat stodgy and straight-laced in comparison.
February 21, 2010
'The Stranger' Remix and Media Madness
(This is my fourth post on Media Madness)
Around the time of the incident mentioned in my last post, I read 'The Stranger'. I was so impressed that I've kept a copy of it ever since.
I've included an edited version here, with apologies to its unknown author.
February 20, 2010
Media Madness Culture Shock
After five continuous years working in India, I was visiting my relatives. I sat down with my father-in-law to watch the evening news. Some minutes into the broadcast, I looked over to the doorway and saw my five year-old daughter, her eyes round and mouth agape-- in shock; she looked almost faint.
February 18, 2010
Little Pitchers Have Big Ears-- Filtering the Media Madness
Part Two on Media Madness-- Little Pitchers Have Big Ears
'Ice-way eamcra'? My parents might whisper as we approached an ice-cream shop. Since we already knew Pig Latin, the secret was out. We were soon chanting, 'I scream. You scream. We all scream for Ice cream!'.
'Eakspa aterla' ('speak later'), they might also say, if one thought their conversation was drifting into inappropriate territory.
February 17, 2010
Death, Violence, and Other Media Toxins
Getting Used to Death, Violence, and Other Media Toxins
Millions watched this week, a video of an accidental death during the Winter Olympics.
Officials said, “It was the young man's fault for making a mistake.”
What was unsaid: “We didn't want any ugly padding on the concrete pillars or safety netting that would block the cameras.”
I was shocked and saddened-- not just by the excuses, but also by how many people reacted by saying,
“Get used to it. It's reality; why wouldn't they show the video”.
August 21, 2008
Tokyo 'Net Rooms' Offer Help
This is my letter to the editor regarding 'Behind the News: Is communal living the key to a happy society? 19 August 2008
[note: I had to remove the link to this article, as after a few days the paper's articles are archived, and require a fee-- sorry. Lesson learned. Next time I will at least summarize what what in the article. If you do need to find it for any reason, go to: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/info/database/ It's a 525yen monthly fee.]
Dear Editor: During my recent trip to Tokyo, I was amazed at the intensity of the city-- while at the same time noticed those who stuggle at the fringes of this massive 'machine'.
I wish the Tokyo 'net rooms' and related projects success in helping those who find themselves outside the limited graces of our increasingly cold self-seeking society. Sadly, we rarely notice those who have fallen 'off the grid' into isolation, destitution, desperation and despair-- except briefly when some turn to crime, suicide or random acts of violence.
We all benefit from our connections to our families, friends, co-workers, neighbors and fellow citizens-- nationally and internationally. However, 'intentional communities'-- a broader term of which the article's mention of communes is part-- increase our interdependence. They increase the power of 'us' when so much energy is being channeled into 'me'.
More than an aid for those who are desperate and have nothing, cooperative living is also an option for those who have everything and want more. Having experienced living in Christian communities in nine countries for nearly forty years, I see cooperative living as a powerful, beneficial, caring, loving alternative for our world-- as opposed to the 'New World Order' of selfish dog-eat-dog materialistic aggression and its ultimate fulfillment in war.
Where are more entrepreneurs of love?-- the World needs you!
Bruce, Nagano
June 18, 2008
Tokyo Rampage-- Japan Asks 'Why?'
This week, a young man rammed a truck into pedestrians on a crowded Tokyo street, then began stabbing people, killing seven and wounding ten-- the worst of a string of five random stabbings this year, in which nine have been killed and twenty-four injured-- besides these, there was also a teenager who pushed a stranger under a train, saying he just wanted to kill someone.
Soon after this latest attack, I visited an electronics store similar to those in Akihabara, Tokyo's biggest electronics shopping district-- where the attack took place-- and also a popular destination for those obsessed with video games and animated characters.
There, as I waited at the service desk to get something repaired, my wife muttered, 'It's horrible!'-- referring to a violet video game demo playing on a large screen nearby. This game, "Metal Gear Solid 4" had its Tokyo premier canceled after the attack. The company cited customer safety. Really!
This kind of entertainment reminds me of the ancient Colosseum of Rome-- where death as a spectator sport covered their consciences with unfeeling scar tissue. To me, the possible connection between these mind-numbing, heart-hardening violent video games and these attacks seems obvious, yet I've seen and heard little reference to them.
I have tried to keep track of the opinions of the many Japanese, as they are struggling to make sense of this outbreak of random violence. Most concerns that I've heard voiced echo those heard in other developed countries in recent years, yet Japanese are even more bewildered-- since they have grown up with an extremely low rate of violent crimes.
Most blame what they see as disturbing trends in society.
High on their lists are Japan's failing families and communities. People fear that the disappearing extended family has made Japan a lonelier place, with little support for troubled youth. There is often with no one to talk to, and relationships become strained.
Next, many sense that a general 'me first' attitude has become increasingly prevalent and that morality is declining. People feel they can do anything-- there are no more restraints.
Japan's sluggish economy is a big issue. In a country where nearly everyone could previously expect to be 'middle-class', companies are converting to low-paid part-time or temporary workers, creating a growing gap between rich and poor. Frustrated, those left out of of the middle-class 'norm'—are buffeted by rising prices, taxes and disappearing work and government benefits.
Finally, they mention Japan's continued obsession with exam grades. Those who can't succeed are treated as losers and their frustration builds. They begin to hate society.
Tomohiro Kato, 25, in Internet postings made before his attack, sounded like just such a person.
"I don't have a single friend and I won't in the future. I'll be ignored because I'm ugly."
A man with hope could never understand this." "I'm lower than trash... I am hopeless,"
"What I want to do: commit murder. My dream: to monopolize the tabloid TV shows...
"I will kill people... I will crash my car and when the car becomes unusable, I will use a knife.
Good-bye, everyone!"
In the northern city where he grew up, Kato was a model elementary and middle school student. However, when he entered his province's top high school, he found himself in the bottom twenty percent of his class. Apparently discouraged, his studies suffered and he became withdrawn-- even violent at home. In a few years, Kato went from studying at a top high school to living alone as a seemingly friendless temporary worker in a factory near Tokyo.
Yes, we are living in stressful times, with 'Men's hearts failing them for fear'. For some insight on the times in which we are living, please read:
The Future Foretold: Part 2 --current world violence, famines and earthquakes forecast two millennia ago with predictions of what is yet to come.
[Bible references used: 1Timothy 4:2; Ephesians 4:17; Titus 1:15; Luke 21:26]
September 05, 2007
Pressure, Boredom, Fear Prompt ‘Refusers’
“Educators are wary about acknowledging this growing phenomenon”... “When school refusers turn 15, principals normally award them graduation certificates regardless of whether they complete their studies. And once children have fallen off the traditional education path, they are left to navigate new territory in the job world”... “That's if they can work at all. Education professor Katsuyuki Hiroki said many refusers become reclusive as adults and can't leave their bedrooms. Hiroki said 1 million adults suffer from this affliction...”
Excerpts from an article By Jessi Hempel writing from Japan for the San Jose Mercury News
Japanese “Refusers” a Major Issue- by Bruce
A couple of months ago, unexpectedly, an office worker asked me to lunch at her cafeteria. I hardly knew this person, yet soon she was pouring out her heart about her personal life and difficulties.
She first, confidently, told of her many accomplishments at work and of her plans for the future. She then explained that some areas of her personal life had become dysfunctional-- and some of her dissatisfactions and disappointments.
Finally, her greatest frustration-- Her teenage son had become alienated at school and had refused to return. An apparently bright boy, he'd become frustrated, sullen-- hardly leaving his room and, when he did, arguing with his mother.
'What should I do? He's a good boy, smart, but he refuses to try to go back to school.'
After acknowledging how difficult it can be to communicate with teenagers, I sympathized with her son who, like many thousands of other Japanese students, have dropped out due to the school and social pressures.
I asked about her son's interests and abilities, then suggested she give him love, acceptance and encouragement to excel-- perhaps in some area in which he feels capable-- offering a way to gain confidence in himself and for his future. I encouraged her to relax more, to not try so hard-- to make him feel accepted.
Later, I visited again to take an article on love, forgiveness, bitterness, life's trials and others. These were what she was most excited about on my most recent visit.
'Those helped me so much', she said happily, 'And my son-- I encouraged him and he's responded so much. He apologized for how he's been talking to me and things are going so much better now. May we go to your home to meet your family?'
That's Naomi with our 'in-house' drummer and expectant daddy, Tomo-- his wife, Mandy, is due to have their first next month
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