JetWit Blog Beat by Crystal Wong (Iwate-ken, 2002-04) is a recurring item featuring posts from the blogs of various JET alumni. Crystal is a former English-language writer for Kyodo News. She now works as a media planner in Chelsea and sorely misses all her favorite midtown ramen joints.
In his latest post on his blog (wayofthewest.wordpress.com), Rob Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04), author of the rhyming novel Zorgamazoo, recommends M.T. Anderson’s Feed, an intriguing look into a not so unimaginable future where hybrid Internet-television content, and the ads that go along with them, are fed directly into our brains from birth.
Weston calls it a book “with deep resonance for the digital age.” Read the rest of his review here.
JETAA Chicago’s New Newsletter Editor
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JetWit sends a shout out to JETAA Chicago’s Elizabeth Friedman (Shimane-ken, 2003-04) who has just begun her tenure as the new Newsletter Editor for the chapter.
Taking over Newsletter duties can be a daunting task, so if you want to help her get started, feel free to get in touch and contribute to the JETAA Chicago Newsletter.
Here’s her intro message:
Dear JET alums,
My name is Elizabeth Friedman and I am the new editor of the Chicago JETAA newsletter. I would like to invite all JET alums to submit articles for the spring edition. I have listed some ideas for submissions, but feel free to send in whatever you feel would be appropriate to include in a JETAA newsletter. The deadline for submissions is March, 20th. Please send your articles to me at jetaachinewsletter /atto/ gmail /dotto/ com.
Submissions can include:
–Comic strips
–Restaurant reviews
–Japanese cultural activities in Chicago (music, movies, theater, art exhibits, etc…) reviews or thoughts on
–Announcements about JET alumni (marriages, graduations, jobs, etc…)
–Short stories (maybe a series–one page per issue), poetry, visual art, etc… done by JET alums that was inspired by Japanese culture
–Reflections on returning home from your JET experience
Feel free to contact me at jetaachinewsletter /atto/ gmail /dotto/ com if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Friedman
Job: Translator – E->J – Software Company (Anywhere)
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Via Craigslist Philadelphia:
English to Japanese Translator (Virtual)
Reply to: pciccantelli@nextdocs.com [?]
Date: 2009-02-03, 4:18PM EST
We are a very fast growing software development company and are expanding into the Japanese market and need someone to translate our software screens and documentation into Japanese. We are located in King of Prussia, PA and would like the person to be here initially for a few days to acclimate and then you will be able to work from home. We will need your estimation on how long the work will take. If interested, send a word doc to pciccantelli@ nextdocs. com or pamela@ intelligent-search. com
Must have excellent written and verbal skills. Must have work eligibility in the US.
- Location: Virtual
- Compensation: Hourly as negotiated
Job: Associate Director, International Studies – Indiana University
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Via the Chronicle of Higher Ed international jobs page:
2/3/2009 Indiana University at Bloomington (Indiana) : Associate Director
http://chronicle.com/jobs/id.php?id=0000590646-01&pg=r
NTERNATIONAL STUDIES
Associate Director
Seeking highly motivated, action-oriented individual for growing program. Holds primary administrative responsibility for curriculum and student activities and teaches in one or more areas of program. For details see http://www.indiana.edu/ ~vpfaa/baalist.shtml.
Indiana University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer.
Roland Kelts in Boston for “Grave of Fireflies” Event Feb. 11
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Roland Kelts (Osaka, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, will be at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston on Wednesday, February 11 for a screening + discussion of the animated film Grave of the Fireflies. More details here. (Side note: Lyle Sylvander (Yokohama-shi, 2001-02) wrote an excellent and succinct review of Grave of the Fireflies for the Spring 2008 JETAAA NY Newsletter.)
BONUS: Roland’s story on Japanese Youth Pathologies for WNYC’s Studio 360 will air on NPR nationwide as part of this coming weekend’s special Japan edition of the show. (See the recent JetWit post on last week’s Studio360 Japan feature.)
Correction: This post previously listed the date of the MFA event as February 9, but it has now been corrected to February 11. Apologies for any confusion.
James Kennedy Interviewed by Teens at the Evanston Library
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James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06), author of The Order of Odd-Fish, was recently interviewed at the Evanston Library by some wonderful teenagers. Watch a video of the interview below.
From James’ blog: “This Saturday (2/7) I’m going to be appearing at the Fantasy Festival at the Evanston Public Library! There will also be manga drawing, fantasy video gaming, and a screening of the almighty Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. (See the events sidebar, right, for details.)
In preparation, I sat down with Sam, Zoe, Heather and Luke of the Evanston library’s Teen Advisory Board to
READ THE REST OF THE POST HERE
Japan’s Financial Crisis and Its Parallels to U.S. Experience
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Japan’s Financial Crisis and Its Parallels to U.S. Experience, edited by Adam S. Posen and Ryoichi Mikitani
Has anyone out there read this book? If so, care to share your thoughts on the premise by posting a comment?
WIT Life #25: Laughing the Blues Away
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine and the same effect is being seen in Japan. These upsetting economic times have brought a boom in rakugo, mandan and other forms of entertainment that have people laughing out loud. In Tokyo’s Chiyoda-ku, there was a rakugo gathering where attendees cited their reasons for coming as “the need to let it all out, laugh away my troubles.” Another man expressed the fear that because of the bad economy, he didn’t know how much longer he would last at his company, and coming to the performance allowed him to temporarily forget about his worries.
In a small theater in Shinjuku, 45-year old guitar mandan Piroki entertained a crowd in his get-up which included a bow tie and hair in a ponytail. While he strummed along, he told a story of Read More
JetWit on SWET list
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Sako Eaton, the webmaster for the Society of Writers, Editors and Translators (SWET), recently invited me to post an introductory message on their website (www.swet.jp) about JetWit and the Writers Interpreters Translators (WIT) Group.
My hope is that this introduction will help foster collaboration among members of our respective communities. I encourage JetWit readers to delve into the SWET website as it offers terrific perspectives and resources.
As mentioned recently in this post on JetWit, SWET is based in Tokyo and has been in existence for 25 years. You can read their full history here.
Job: Assistant Producer – Womax Media (Los Angeles area)
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Via JETAA Southern California e-mail group:
Job Opportunity with Wowmax Media
Job Title: Assistant Producer
Company: Wowmax Media, LLC
Location: Torrance, CA
Status: Full-time, Employee
Relevant work experience: 3-7 years
Career Level: mid-level
Educatio Level: Minimum Associates Degree Completed or Equivalent
Job Description:
Wowmax Media, LLC is a “bridge” company that directly connects the North American and Japanese markets and businesses. Womax Media is a comprehensive production and marketing firm dealing with intellecutal property. The synergies created by having a Japanese partner with direct contacts in Japan and the US allow Wowmax Media to provide unique marketing and production services to copanies and individuals engaged in this business in the US and Japan, including original writers, who create intellectual property, producers, investors, character and content licensing agents, licensees of characters for commercialization, and distributors, while concurrently pursuing the maximization of value. In addition to working with private companies, Wowmax Media is conduct consulting assignments for government agencies. Read More
JetWit Blog Beat: The Cheetos Makeover
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JetWit Blog Beat by Crystal Wong (Iwate-ken, 2002-04) is a recurring item featuring posts from the blogs of various JET alumni. Crystal is a former English-language writer for Kyodo News. She now works as a media planner in Chelsea and sorely misses all her favorite midtown ramen joints.
Nothing brightens a gloomy winter morning faster than a dose of that irresistible Engrish the Japanese churn out so prolifically (despite our best efforts to guide them otherwise).
Cartoonist Lars Martinson (Fukuoka, 2003-2006), author of the graphic novel Tonoharu: Part 1, shares a gem found on a bag of “Gourmet Cheetos”: http://larsmartinson.com/sophisticated-junk-food/
JETAA Chapter Beat 2.2.09
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Freelance writer/editor Jonathan Trace (Fukuoka-ken, 2005-08) takes us on a walk around the JET Alumni community…
- 2009 JET Programme Interview Volunteers Needed – Wednesday, February 11th through Thursday, February 19th. The Consulate General of Japan is looking for JET Alumni to help serve as interview registration assistants.
- San Francisco Nomikai – Thursday, February 5th, 6:00 at Cafe de Soleil. Join in for the first Nomikai of the year down in the Lower Haight.
- Japanese Discussion Group – Saturday, February 7th, 3:00. The topic this week is “Surveillance Society.” Come debate whether or not CCTV is hurtful or harmful to the freedoms of society.
- Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership(CAPAL) Happy Hour – Wednesday, February 18, 6:00 at Gazuza. Join in and make some professional contacts or just some new friends at CAPAL.
- Greeters Needed in JET Program Office – February 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20th, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 at the Consulate General of Japan in New York. Two volunteers needed to greet applicants for the 2009 JET Programme. Come down and give back to the JET.
- Japan-A-Mania! – Saturday, February 28th. JETAA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NY and NY de Volunteer is hosting a day of Japanese culture and activities for NYC kids. Help out and share your love of Japan with the kids.
- JETAANY Subchapters – Announcing three new JETAA New York Subchapters: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New Jersey. They are always looking for new members and new events, so join up today.
- JETAA Florida Elections – Have a hand in the future of JETAA Florida and submit your name to become an officer. Openings range from Webmaster to President, so make sure to sign up by February 15th.
- Kimono Exhibition – Sunday, February 8th, at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota.
- World Heritage Photo Exhibition – February 9th through the 20th in the University of South Florida College of Business Atrium. 31 photos of world heritage sites in Japan will be on display so do not miss it.
- FLUID Pub Night – Wednesday, February 4th, 6:30. Two for one on bottles of Asahi and free edamame. Don’t miss this chance to sit back and join your friends at Fluid.
- Annual Ski Trip – February 7th and 8th, Devil’s Head Ski Resort in Merrimac, WI. Hit the slopes with JETAA Chicago and have some winter fun at the 3rd biggest ski resort in the Midwest.
- Kodo Taiko Concert – February 17th at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
What happened at your chapter’s event? If you attend(ed) any of these exciting events, JetWit would love to hear about them. Just email Jonathan Trace with any info, stories or comments.
Japanese Convenience Store Clerk Dissertation by JET Alum
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I recently learned about an interesting JET alum named Gavin Whitelaw (whom I’ve never met) whose doctoral dissertation at Harvard’s Reischauer Institute involved 18-months of “observant” participation as a convenience store clerk in Japan. Through his writing he then “sought to describe the lifeworld of these stores and understand their cultural significance as industrial system, social arrangement, and personal practice.”
In August 2008, Gavin began working in Tokyo on a new collaborative project through the Asian-Japan Research Center. The project focuses on “the role popular culture plays in the formation of Asian identities” and “the impact of Chinese and Japanese trends in other Asian societies.”
Click here to read Gavin’s introduction with regard to the project. If I can get in touch with him, perhaps we can post a link to his unique dissertation in the near future.
Traveling Tastebuds: How to Pop Every Kernel
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Devon Brown (Tokyo-to, 2002-04) is a freelance writer with a focus on food. You can read more of her writing at TravelingTastebuds.blogspot.com.
Remember about a year ago when the whole microwave popcorn = cancer thing broke out? After years of eating a snack that smelled like hot plastic and left a slight tingle on my tongue I came to the conclusion that maybe it was time to put the packets away and return to the old fashioned method. So over this past year I’ve pretty much perfected the process and a recent blog post by famed food writer Michael Rhulman inspired me to share because, while his method is good, mine is better. http://blog.ruhlman.com/ruhlmancom/2009/01/popcorn.html#comments
Click here to read the rest of the post…
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Following up on the Tsukiji auction controversy I discussed here recently, one segment of the news took the pulse of different Japanese attitudes towards foreigners visiting the country. All of the respondents seemed to attribute any trouble they have experienced to cultural differences and not poor manners on the part of gaijin. 
The first spot was the discount store Daiso in Asakusa, where several signs clearly spell out what is not acceptable behavior in the store. For example, a comfortable looking low counter was a place many foreigners had been resting their weary legs. As this is not what Daiso intended the space for, it had to create a sign reading “Don’t sit on the counter.” Another problem the management encountered was Read More
