NPR’s Studio360 Features Bankruptcy Haiku by Steven Horowitz
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Bankruptcy Bill is a cartoon created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. To see more strips as well as original bankruptcy haiku, go to bankruptcybill.wordpress.com.
Listen to one of Bankruptcy Bill’s haiku read on the “Haiku-ing It To The Man” feature on NPR’s Studio360. (Starts with about 1:31 left in the feature.)
Here’s the story lead from the Studio360 website:
Haiku-ing It to the Man
A few weeks ago we asked listeners to submit original haiku inspired by the state of the economy. Dozens poured in: our own unscientific proof that the financial crisis is a boon for creativity. Here are some of our favorites. (http://www.studio360.org/episodes/2009/02/13)
The JetWit Business Model?
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“What is the JetWit business model?” some of you may have wondered.
Shoujiki ni itte, JetWit isn’t earning any income as of yet per se at the moment technically speaking (with the exception from a one-time paid ad placed by Interac).
But that doesn’t mean that JetWit doesn’t want to, or can’t, earn any income. The site and community is certainly providing value in various ways, including helping a number of people to find work opportunities. It has access to terrific writing and translating talent. And given that JET alumni chapters are primarily focused on their own regions, JetWit is essentially the only channel for reaching JET alumni (i.e., a targeted audience of educated, Japan-savvy types) all across the U.S. as well as abroad.
With so much going for it, it seems like one would have to be a baka to not have JetWit generating dollars (or yen). Since that’s exactly the case, however, there is some comfort in realizing that much larger entities struggle with the same issue of trying to earn income while giving away something for free. At least according to my brother Greg who has over 10 years of online marketing experience.
In his post on The Digitalists titled Free* (or, how to give away the store without giving away the store), Greg comments on Wired editor Chris Anderson’s new book Free and a possible direction the traditional model of content provider-advertiser-consumer may be shifting.
The short post is well worth a read for everyone trying to figure out how to navigate the shifting business world (which I think includes most recent JET returnees as well as numerous alums).
Yes they did!
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Japanese TV has never been averse to using blackface, so why stop now? Especially when presidential magic is involved.
Jobs: 3 Japan-related jobs in Houston area
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Three job listings from an Interesse recruiter via the JETAA Texahoma email list:
1. Entry level position with a toy company, but requires business level Japanese. It is for a toy company. Pay is between $30-50K. You would be training in Japan and then working in either the US or Asia. If you are interested, please email me your resume and reference this email and job #37209.
2. I have a 3-4 month contract position near IAH for $10-12/hour. It is entry level. If you are interested in getting your foot in the door in a Japanese company, this might be a good opportunity. Job #37291
3. I have an entry level steel sales position near Memorial Mall. It requires Japanese language skills but that is all. Job #36546. $35-50K Read More
Know a Newsletter Editor: Mark Frey – JETAA Northern California
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Mark Frey (Kumamoto-ken, 2002-06) has served as the Newsletter Editor for JETAA Northern California since 2007. But how did he find himself in this position? And what else do we know about this man who has been entrusted not only with JETAA NC’s news needs but with with responsibility for a small child as well? JETAA Chicago’s Elizabeth Friedman (profiled in the previous edition of Know a Newsletter Editor) decided to get to the bottom of things, and this is what she learned.
Residence: Beautiful Lake Merritt neighborhood of Oakland, California
Job: Marketing Manager, MIG, Inc.
What he does all day at work: Write proposals, dream about Japan
How he found his job: Website for the Society for Marketing Professional Services (professional society for my field of work)
Job he would really like to be doing: Teaching!
First job after JET: Marketing Manager, MIG, Inc.
How he ended up as the Newsletter Editor: Was asked at a weak moment after about the 5th kanpai at a JETAA shinnenkai. Read More
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.
For about a year I was holed up in my apartment writing articles I would never allow people to read. I only shared my work in large anonymous or protected forums like writing contests or classes. My work needed to be out there, but I wasn’t ready to stand behind it.
But now it’s time for me to take a step out into public as a writer and I feel like I’m stepping in front of a batting machine. On the first anniversary of my writing career, I am jello soft and unprepared for the inevitable criticism that lies ahead. People are actually reading my blog and I write two regular columns accessible to anyone with internet access. On the web, everything is open for comment and I fear the next snide remark or disagreement with my opinions will break me.
I need some quick advice about building backbone from some of you veterans out there because the balls are flying and I can only bob and weave for so long. To all seasoned writers, bloggers, authors and artists did this happen to you and how did you deal with it?
Help out Devon and other JET alum writers by posting your comments below. Yoroshiku!
Black Tokyo: Japan’s Part-timers in Full-time Trouble
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The blog Black Tokyo picked up on an interesting story from the L.A. times about the state of the job market in Japan.
If you do any work that has any connection to Japan, it’s very much worth keeping track of these trends and trying to think about how they may eventually effect all of us. Things are shifting and that means problems in the future (or present), but it also means opportunities.
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Just received this announcement/press release from Shannon Jowett, Director of Communications for Japan Society (NY). Ambassador Sakurai has been very supportive of JETAA, plus he’s a real nice guy, so JetWit is a big fan:
Japan Society is pleased to announce that Ambassador Motoatsu Sakurai will be president effective Tuesday, April 7, 2009. Full details are below.
Ambassador Motoatsu Sakurai Named Japan Society President
Ambassador Sakurai with his wife
First Japanese-born president to head non-profit, non-political organization
New York, NY — February 7, 2009 — Ambassador Motoatsu Sakurai will be the new president of Japan Society. The Society’s Board of Directors announced this morning that the Ambassador assumes his new leadership role April 7, 2009. Ambassador Sakurai is the Consul General of Japan in New York and is the former president of Mitsubishi International Corporation, USA. He will be the first Japanese-born president of Japan Society, now a 102-year old non-profit, non-political organization. Read More
Video: Roland Kelts on Studio360 with Kurt Anderson
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A sampling of what’s to air on NPR’s Studio 360 Goes to Japan on Saturday at 10 am, featuring Roland Kelts (Osaka, 1998-99):
Japan Trends: Bras for Boys
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I’m not going justify this with the pretense that it somehow ties in to JET alumni. I’m just posting the video.
JET Alum Business Beat: Yvonne Thurman starts Dolly Bella Bakery
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Yvonne Thurman (Kagoshima-ken, 1994-95), former JETAA NY President, recently left her position as Director of the Columbia Business School’s Center on Japanese Economy and Business (CJEB) to start her own baked goods business, Dolly Bella Bakery (www.dollybellabakery.com). Read below as she explains what led her down this path and how it’s all going.
I have enjoyed my career at Columbia Business School , directing its Center on Japanese Economy and Business with Professor Hugh Patrick. After 10 years of working there, I was searching in the corporate sector for business development positions but couldn’t find something that really excited me. So I pushed myself to think outside of the box, and really took a good look at my strengths and skills, work experience and education, and analyzed what I really enjoyed doing.
I was fixated on keeping my career in the international organization/international business arena, but I had to explore all options. I had solid management skills, a degree in finance and business, international experience (same as so many…but wait!)…liked boating as a hobby…loved baking. Hmm. I started to put all that together. Read More
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
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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?
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
