Monthly Archives: December 2005

Christmas in Japan

Today is Christmas… Being an anti-theistic agnostic, I usually try not to celebrate, but being in Japan has made me kind of nostalgic for the western traditions of home. This morning, my family and I opened our presents together by … Continue reading

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The Escape Pod Collection 1

On Friday I received a nice Christmas present (of sorts), the Escape Pod Collection 1. For those who don’t know, The Escape Pod is a weekly podcast that delivers short, fun stories in the fantasy and SF genres. The podcast’s … Continue reading

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Snow

Today I saw snow fall for the first time. I’d seen it on the ground before, while skiing at Falls Creek in Victoria around 11 years ago, but it was icy and probably artificial. Snow on the ground, but none … Continue reading

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How many comic books does it take to change a lightbulb?

The answer, in my case, is ten. In Japan, people are traditionally accustomed to sitting on the floor, so when one of my lightbulbs blew last night, I found my furnished apartment lacking a chair high-enough to stand on while … Continue reading

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benhourigan.com’s funniest comment so far

Just a few minutes ago, Sasha posted this masterful comment, which made me, university trained geek that I am, laugh harder than I had in weeks. Kudos to you, Sasha. Thanks, too, to the mysterious Jess/Jessica, who made such a … Continue reading

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Howl’s Moving Castle (review)

Diana Wynne Jones, Howl’s Moving Castle (1986; repr. New York: HarperTrophy 2001); Howl’s Moving Castle screenplay and direction by Miyazaki Hayao (2004), DVD. Book: 7/10. Movie: 5/10. As I did before Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring … Continue reading

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Humanities academics’ poor communication skills

Today I was most inspired to write a comment at Binary Bonsai, where Michael Heilemann was complaining about DAC 2005 delegates’ inability to express themselves clearly. It’s a post in its own right. To academics, Michael, the words you think … Continue reading

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Xbox 360: It’s big in Japan

Microsoft are busy gearing up for this month’s launch of the Xbox 360 in Japan, hoping to succeed with it where Xbox failed. Since the original Xbox’s sheer size and ugliness undoubtedly contributed to its unpopularity in Japan, putting a … Continue reading

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