Truth is Stranger than Fiction » Japan

Students create fabric from cigarette butts

currawong — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:43:06 +0000

As tabacco companies are huge consumers of cotton, this is very cool idea.

KUSATSU, Shiga Prefecture–A group of students has found a way to recycle cigarette butts as T-shirts and persuaded local pachinko parlors and gas stations to donate the contents of their ashtrays to their enterprise.

via Students create fabric from cigarette butts – AJW by The Asahi Shimbun.

The Skilled Veteran Corps, a team of pensioners ready to save Japan from radiation

currawong — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:34:14 +0000

A group of 200 old people in Japan, organized by 72-year old Yasuteru Yamada, are volunteering to work at the Fukushima power plant.

Volunteering to take the place of younger workers at the power station is not brave, Mr Yamada says, but logical.

Mr Yamada has been getting back in touch with old friends via e-mail and even messages on Twitter. “I am 72 and on average I probably have 13 to 15 years left to live,” he says.

“Even if I were exposed to radiation, cancer could take 20 or 30 years or longer to develop. Therefore us older ones have less chance of getting cancer.”

In a video of the interview, the BBC reporter asks: “Are you kamikaze pensioners?” to which they reply “We are not kamikaze. The kamikaze were something strange, no risk management there.”

From TOKYOMANGO

Hanami at Akizuki

currawong — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:22:11 +0000

The crowds were out in force in the small country town of Akizuki, famous for its castle ruins and, of course, flowers. We were lucky to have a second weekend in which to enjoy them.

It’s Cherry Blossom (Hanami) season in Japan

currawong — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 12:06:37 +0000

In time for it, I bought a Nikon D7000. Though it was overcast, which isn’t my ideal for photographing them, I took a few shots of my father-in-law’s cherry tree.

Nuclear plant issues in Japan are the least of their worries

currawong — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 11:38:37 +0000

Atomic Insights Blog: Nuclear plant issues in Japan are the least of their worries.

A good article putting things into perspective. While everyone is worrying and debating uselessly over the Fukushima reactor, the real people in serious danger need to be focussed on.

Today’s quake in Japan, showing intensity on the Japanese scale. First time ever I’ve seen the whole country affected & a severity of 7 (the highest).

currawong — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:07:04 +0000

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currawong — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:05:38 +0000

Today’s quake in Japan, showing intensity on the Japanese scale. First time ever I’ve seen the whole country affected.

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Another Japanese WTF car, this one a Mitsuoka I never knew existed.

currawong — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 08:47:03 +0000

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WTF: Tropicana with fruit sweets Orange with Rare Cheese Flavour drink. I wasn’t game to try it. #living-in-japan

currawong — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 23:22:02 +0000

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Stayed last night in Huis Ten Bosch (Dutch theme park) in this nice apartment.

currawong — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 01:38:03 +0000

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