#87: 1 August 2009
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FROM THE EDITOR
Ailsa Wylie, English Editor
newsletter@…
Hello DEvas!
After months of internal debate, I finally got around to some serious investigation and then updated some of my technological equipment.
First, I needed a smaller laptop – a netbook. My physiotherapist kept teasing me about my rock-like shoulders, so stiff that his staff risked breaking their fingers giving me a massage. Besides, apparently my iBook doesn’t enjoy running for the train so much.
Next, my Nokia mobile phone was over three years old. It has served me well as both a phone and a PDA. But the poor thing was becoming increasingly unstable, constantly re-booting itself with no apparent cause.
Finally, my old Epson printer just wasn’t enough for me anymore. The “back-loading paper” design doesn’t work well with the best place in my home for a printer, and I had also noticed that the prices for printers with high-quality scanners has come down a lot lately. Plus I no longer live alone, and it was frustrating for my partner and me to have to move the printer around connecting and disconnecting the USB cable.
After using a few of my holidays for research, I finally made my decisions. I bought an Asus netbook, my first Windows computer. It’s in Japanese, but I can manage it. I also bought a Hewlett-Packard printer with Bluetooth option. And I bought an iPhone. I’m getting used to texting on it, and being able to check my email anytime is addictive. The applications are way too much fun – everything from useful distractions like Facebook to silly ones like…beer.
Despite the beer in my iPhone and the hot weather, I’ll try to get some work done on the netbook anyway.
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FROM THE ROTA LEADER
Misao Kajiro
Rota Leader, July & August 2009
leader@…
Fireworks festivals are held all over the country during the summer and there is a big one at Jingu-Gaien in Tokyo on the August 6th. 12,000 fireworks will be set off.
http://gojapan.about.com/od/japanesefestivals/tp/tokyofireworksfestivals.htm
Some years ago, we held the MTD at a Hanabi festival in Kamakura and had a wonderful time together. If you know the best spot to watch the Jingu-Gaien Fireworks, please let us know. We may be able to plan the MTD there next year.
My friend bought a flat in Hiroo, which is 4 kilometers from Jingu-Gaien. All the windows face toward Jingu-Gaien. We are going to have dinner to check whether the fireworks can be seen from the sixth floor on the 6th. If there are no tall buildings in the way, this flat may be one of the candidate spots for next year.
I think many of you are having a long holiday in August. If you have a good experience to share with other members, please send a message about it to the mailing list or to the newsletter editor. It would be nice to hear about it, even for those who have no particular plan, like me.
Have a nice holiday. I’m looking forward to seeing you in September as there is no DEJ event in August.
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MEMBERSHIP TEAM NEWS
Misao Kajiro, Membership Coordinator
membership@…
Total membership was 349 as of the 30th of July
DEJ member Julianne performed at WOMAD in the UK last month. The aim of WOMAD is to o unite people through music, arts and dance. This is similar to the mission of DigitaleEve, which creates a network with the potential of a multicultural society through the use of digital tools. Please visit the site: http://www.womad.org/
I came across an interesting site, which is the English version of a list academic libraries in Japan, and another that contains links to sites with information about Japanese studies around the world. This may be useful for some DEJ members.
http://www.libra.titech.ac.jp/libraries_Japan_e.html
http://www.nichibun.ac.jp/link/link_1_e.html
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MEDIA TEAM NEWS
Chiharu Kawai, Media Coordinator
media-j@…
Ah, it’s time for cold beer and edamame! I hope you are all surviving this heat.I have some useful information for some of you who have a visa in Japan:
“Immigration Changes from 2010″
The Ministry of Justice has announced that effective April 1, 2010, they will be asking for your health insurance card (either kokumin kenko hoken or shakai hoken) when you renew your visa or apply for a change of status.
For those of you currently relying on private health insurance or not currently enrolled, it may be worth your while looking at these new requirements.
Here are some links to further information on this:
http://www.freechoice.jp/immigration.asp
http://www.generalunion.org/News/526
and the guidelines in Japanese:
http://www.moj.go.jp/NYUKAN/nyukan70.html
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EVENT TEAM NEWS
Waki Kawamoto, Event Coordinator
events@…
Upcoming events will be announced on the main list.
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SUBMISSIONS TO THE NEWSLETTER
Have an announcement to make? An article to submit for consideration? (We can’t pay you, but we’ll give you a byline.) Please send your submissions in plain text format to: newsletter@…
***SEEK***
Editors (E to J) who can help in publishing this newsletter. Please send an email to newsletter@….
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The Digital Digest is brought to you by the Newsletter Team:
Koko Iwata, Yoko Kawabe, Gail Nakada and Ailsa Wylie.