New Site!!!

Hello all!

I have graduated from blogspot and now have a new site! It's shiny and new, and you know you want to go visit it. XD

http://yamatologic.com

Yamatologic, it's dot com!

Anyway, I'll see you there.

Yuko Obuchi, living oxymoron?!

So we didn't get Japan's first female Prime Minister. We got Rozen-kun. But, he did appoint 中之条町's very own 小渕優子 (Obuchi Yuko) to his cabinet!

The only problem? She is the Minister of Birth Rate Decline. The official "Special Missions" (特命) that she is in charge of are counter plans for birth rate decline and gender equality.

Lisa over at TokyoMango pointed out:

The job title "minister of declining birth" is kind of horrendous—it takes a lot of power out of her hands already by defining what her role as the person in charge of gender is. Women don't get to choose their path in life, they just need to have more babies. That's kinda how that title resonates with me.

Now, Yuko Obuchi is married and has a 1 year old boy. My guess is that appointing her is a 作戦 (sakusen) to show women can have children and hold careers as well.

I don't think that directly translates to struggling middle class folk, not to mention, there really seems to be more issues with the declining birth rate than just the traditional "career" vs. "family" argument.

In any case, I wish her all the luck in her position and with her tasks. Oh, and by the way, maybe one way to combat the declining birth rate is to make immigration easier. I'm just saying.

Today is the JLPT Deadline

You have until 5pm today (PDT) to register for the JLPT if you live in the United States! If you live elsewhere, please check the international site for your deadline (may have passed already ><;).

So go do it!

I'm taking 1級 (ikkyu) in LA. The test is on Sunday, Dec. 7th! If you are interested in studying, leave a comment! XD

(Photo Mr Wabu cc by-sa)

Sushi Sabre you seek, yes...

OMG, everything has come full circle. George Lucas was inspired by the 侍 (samurai) and 刀 (katana) for jedi and light sabres, and now there is a light saber looking thing that shoots not but a glowing blade of Justice or Rancor, but a glowing column of 巻き寿司 (makizushi)!

I wonder what the light and dark sides of sushi are... 巻き vs. にぎり?

(via Random Good Stuff)

Shin Yamato Damacy Ep. 2.5 - Blind Date Part 2!

It is out! Episode 2.5 of Shin Yamato Damacy! Brian and Mariko go out for 刺身 (sashimi) and then カラオケ (karaoke). (Also available on YouTube.)

Go see the first part of this Blind Date episode if you haven't already.

This episode it a little long, but totally worth it. I remember using pen and paper a lot to when my wife and I first started going out. なつかしい！

Luka's style really comes out in this video. Luka is way better at letting things happen and filming it. I was more of a gonzo journalist. So I could have never made an episode like this.

Not to mention that sound effect. Whenever I hear that sound effect, I think of Luka. If you don't know what I'm taking about, go see The Legend of Ultraman or Vanity Project 2.

Excellent episode. I can't wait to see what's next for SYD!

NicoVideo for Busy People: Part 1

There is an interesting kind of ニコニコ動画 (NicoNicoDouga) called 忙しい人のための... ("... for Busy People"). I find that hilarious since my old Japanese textbook was called Japanese for Busy People. These videos are often songs where they remove lyrics such that the resulting sentences are humorous, or at very least nonsensical, like the text book.

Here are a few of my favorites:

1. 忙しい人のための『粉雪』 - "Konayuki" for Busy People



This one is the best by far. レミオロメン (Remioromen) had this song probably about 2 or 3 years ago. It was everywhere. It's one of my karaoke favs. And the version for busy people is pretty epically brief. (Original version for non-busy people: ニコニコ動画, YouTube)

2. 忙しい人のための男女 - "BoyGirl" for Busy People


男女 for busy people! Very well done, IMHO. (Original version: ニコニコ動画, YouTube (subbed))

3. 死ぬほど忙しい人の為の「ポケモン言えるかな？」 - "PokeRap" for Deathly Busy People


Remember the PokeRap? Well, this is the Japanese version... for busy people of course. Note the title says 死ぬほど忙しい人の為 (shinu hodo isogashii hito no tame), which means you are so busy, you might die! (Original version (at least the audio...): ニコニコ動画, YouTube)

4. 忙しい人のためのにっぽん昔ばなし＆にんげんっていいな - "Japanese Fairy Tales" & "It's Great to be a Person" for Busy People


There was a popular show with animated versions of the old Japanese fairy tales, known as 昔話 (mukashibanashi). This is the opening and ending edited. You pretty much should watch the ニコニコ動画 version for the lyrics that people hear. They are too funny. My favorite line: 「人間っておいしいかな？」 ("I wonder if people are yummy?") (Original for comparison... Opening: ニコ動画, YouTube; Ending: ニコ動画, YouTube)

And since I am a busy person as well, I'll do part 2 another time! XD

Crying Out Love, In the Center of the Cabbage Field

First, some back story. There was a movie a few years back called 世界の中心で、愛をさけぶ (sekai no chuushin de, ai o sakebu; "Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World"). It was a real tear jerker about a guy having a kind of mid-life crisis about his dead high school sweetheart... Oh man...

Anyway (*sniff*), the following clip is about this place in my old digs, 群馬県 (Gunma-ken) in 嬬恋村 (Tsumagoi-mura, literally "Wife (Mistress?) Love Village") where you can stand on a platform in a cabbage field (Gunma is known for growning cabbage) and yell out your love for your wife. In the video, they call it キャベツ畑の中心で、愛をさけぶ, or Crying Out Love, In the Center of the Cabbage Field.



I thought this was cute. The couple featured is a little odd... but I totally dig it. The 80-something year old was the cutest by far.

This seems to be a popular thing for Japanese guys... they won't say 愛している (aisshiteiru) or 好き (suki) on a daily basis, but will yell it out at certain special moments... or at least, the dramas have me believe such.