Archive for June, 2021

Toride Cats

| June 30, 2021 | 0 Comments
Toride Cats

Two of the cats I have so far met in Toride. This one is living in a box near the river and prefers, it seems, the company of dogs. I met the second one several times on my way to the river. Always perched on a wall and very friendly.

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Unhappy Customers are Good Customers-Polarization and the Media

| June 30, 2021 | 0 Comments
Unhappy Customers are Good Customers-Polarization and the Media

In a recent Axios article entitled Boring news cycle deals blow to partisan media, Neal Rothschild and Sara Fischer explain that news outlets that relied on “partisan, ideological warfare” had seen a sharp drop in readership since former US President Trump left office. If far-right media have suffered the most, what the charts show is […]

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World Community Grid

| June 30, 2021 | 0 Comments
World Community Grid

For almost 20 years, I have been a contributor to the World Community Grid and been involved in a number of projects. As mentioned in the WCG website: World Community Grid enables anyone with a computer, smartphone or tablet to donate their unused computing power to advance cutting-edge scientific research on topics related to health, […]

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ET and me

| June 27, 2021 | 0 Comments
ET and me

• What is Essential Tremor? I suffer from Essential Tremor, a common neurological condition that can affect various parts of the body . It triggers an involuntary action tremor that can have a severe impact on all kinds of activities such as writing, eating, etc. The cause is unknown and it should not be mistaken […]

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Ibaraking Melon

| June 22, 2021 | 0 Comments
Ibaraking Melon

I bought yesterday a speciality of Ibaraki. Modesty forbids the prefecture from boasting about the quality of its melons. Sometimes, however, an aptly named product appears such as the Ibaraking melon. Here is the melon page from the portal site of Ibaraki food and agriculture.

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Kayaking soon-dog later

| June 17, 2021 | 0 Comments
Kayaking soon-dog later

I always hesitate about buying new toys or equipment, but I am increasingly under the charm of Ibaraki’s many waterways and lakes. I took a lesson with the owner of Paddle Quest kayak and SUP school and store in Sumida-ku, Shinju Horikawa, a great teacher, and we went to the foot of Skytree! I felt […]

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Plains coreopsis

| June 11, 2021 | 0 Comments
Plains coreopsis

This plant is native to North America but is said to have arrived in Japan during Meiji period. I took those pictures today at sunset. The flowers can be found everywhere on the river banks.

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Tonegawa river banks in Toride

| June 7, 2021 | 0 Comments
Tonegawa river banks in Toride

Toride offers a quality of life that cannot be found in Tokyo. I would make an exception for those who enjoy most museums and theaters, but for nature lovers, nothing beats a peaceful evening walking close to the river.

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Anoplophora malasiaca (White-spotted Longicorn Beetle) Cerambycidae

| June 7, 2021 | 2 Comments
Anoplophora malasiaca (White-spotted Longicorn Beetle) Cerambycidae

This species can be disastrous for trees.

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About Me

| June 6, 2021 | 0 Comments
About Me

I am a content writer, essayist, sometimes public radio announcer, actor, and jack-of-all trades, and have lived in Japan since the early 1980s. I moved to Toride city in Ibaraki prefecture, Japan, in November 2020, and buying a house there, away from Tokyo, has both been challenging and very satisfying. Closeness with nature can inspire […]

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