Here’s a quote from a recent BBC news article:
Eurozone leaders have agreed on a comprehensive package designed to shore up banks, including making more than a 1,000bn euros ($1,366bn) available for interbank loans.
Notice anything strange about it? That’s right, 1,000bn euros and the dollar equivalent.
When I first saw that, I thought it was wrong, it [...]
A message from Michael McKinlay…
Today is Nick Ramsay’s birthday and because of this special day, I, Michael McKinlay, am guest authoring his blog. Nick is now 33 years old and over the past couple of years, I’ve really gotten to know Nick. So much so that I am his official net buddy 4 [...]
Nearly two years ago, in “Copycat Japanese“, I wrote about how I thought the media’s sensationalistic reporting of teenage suicides was to blame for spurring on more suicides. Recently, this suspicion was confirmed when I found out about researcher David Phillips’ studies from the 1970’s that showed a significant increase in not only suicides, but [...]
Continue reading about Do Suicide Reports Increase Suicides?
It slipped me by this year, but on September 23rd, this blog turned two. That’s not long, but with the millions of blogs that don’t even last a year, it probably puts this site in the top 5% for blog longevity.
What I’m lacking though is post longevity, as these blog posts are getting shorter and [...]
I didn’t think I’d be returning to the 9/11 debate so soon, but this is worth it.
A musical composer from Iceland is offering $15,000 to anyone who can provide a single piece of evidence that Muslims were involved in 9/11.
Having researched the available forensic proof, M. Elias Davidsson is now offering 10,000 Euros (+/- $15,000) [...]
Continue reading about $15,000 Reward for Legal Proof of Muslim Involvement in 9/11
On this seventh anniversary of the September 11th attacks, I have decided to quote from Dr. Robert Cialdini’s book, The Psychology of Influence and Persuasion. While not intended to address 9/11 specifically, it has helped me understand the general public’s apathy for 9/11 research.
——————–
“It is, quite simply, our nearly obsessive desire to be (and [...]
Continue reading about Consistency – a Weapon of Social Influence
I’m still reading through books on influence and persuasion, and in particular, how companies sucker consumers into buying their latest products. Here’s a tip I learned that I’d like to share with parents who might soon be asking what their children want for Christmas.
Christmas sales and the after-shock
The run up to Christmas is booming business [...]
Continue reading about Don’t Promise Your Kids a Toy this Xmas
What did I do today?
I made a math worksheet about bus timetables, then I spent the rest of the day babysitting Rikuto while his mum was at work. We watched some Olympic volleyball, then played in the street on his little Thomas the Tank Engine train.
Rikuto is suffering from diarrhea at the moment which means [...]
Continue reading about Wordpress Pages and Babysitting Rikuto
I’m so active around the net these days that this blog is starting to gather dust. Probably the biggest reason is because I’m always on JapanSoc.com and the JapanSoc Community Blog. Usually, whenever I get the urge to talk about Japan, I turn to one of those two sites rather than my own blog. It’s [...]
Continue reading about A Change of Direction for LongCountdown
For the first time in ages, I’ve decided to ditch my own homemade Wordpress theme and use somebody else’s instead. I chose the Amazing Grace theme by Vladimir Prelovac, and spent most of the day customizing it. I think Vlad’s theme is one of the better free ones, and I chose it because it was [...]
If you’ve been watching, you’ll have noticed that Japanese television is filled with eco-friendly, CO2-cutting, planet-saving propaganda. Commercials are promoting “eco” products, the news is covering the summit and how our leaders (most of which score less than 30% in public opinion polls) are planning measures to curb CO2 emissions, and documentaries are talking about [...]
Continue reading about Voice Your Views: Global Warming and CO2
July 1st marks one year since I put out my last cigarette, so on this fine occasion I thought I’d interview myself about life after smoking.
Were you a heavy smoker?
Not really. I smoked a pack a day for about ten years, but the later years were spent puffing on those incredibly light 1mg menthol things.
Why [...]
I previously wrote a post titled, My New Office 2007, in which I showed you a photo of what my home office looked like in January 2007. Here’s quick reminder:
Although a bit messy, that layout served me quite well, but things got even more busy when I added an extra desk and a second monitor. [...]
In an effort to introduce himself to his fellow Japan bloggers, Chris G has written eight random facts about himself, including one about a dangerous Jurassic goose.
Chris has tagged me to do the same, so here we go…
8 fabbertastic facts about me
I am incredibly forgetful.
I wake up at the sound of a pin dropping.
My favorite [...]
Continue reading about 8 Fabbertastic Facts About Nick Ramsay
Since I wrote about my Dot Com Lifestyle, I’ve had people me asking exactly what I do for a living, and I even found my name mentioned along with mega-bloggers Darren Rowse, Steve Pavlina and John Chow, in author A. Dawn’s Personal Finance Journal!
The latest project
I promised to keep you all informed about [...]
This weekend, the annual Bilderberg conference gets underway at a fancy hotel in Chantilly, Virginia, in the United States. You could argue that this meeting is more significant than the G8 summit and even the U.S. presidential elections, but chances are, you’ve never even heard of it.
Bilder-what?
Founded in 1954, the Bilderberg Group is the superclass [...]
Since coming to Japan, the amount of time I spend in front of the television has plummeted. I think it’s fair to say that I watch less than two hours of TV a week now. Some of you will find that hard to imagine, but it’s not surprising when everything on TV is in a [...]
Continue reading about TV Viewing Figures vs. IQ Ranking by Country
I was reading John Chow’s article, with accompanying video, The Dot Com Lifestyle, and it prompted me to write a little about my own work-at-home life.
My work commitments
I was an English teacher for ten years, working six days a week, and thinking I was lucky because I only worked for five or six hours in [...]
I’ve been feeling pretty grotty this last week. First Rikuto “got the byouki”, then Mami “got the byouki”, and now I’ve “got the byouki”. Although I’d love to sing a song about “getting the byouki” (getting sick), I’ll spare you this week, and share some more Ramsay Ramblings instead.
Magnitude 7 Earthquake Virtually Hits Gifu
Since my [...]
Is the weekend over already? Time seems to be flying these days. We are well into spring and the suzumushi (bell crickets) are piercing my brain with their high pitched singing. It must be time for some more Ramsay Ramblings!
5 yen a bag, or take a box for free!
Today, my mother-in-law came by for a [...]
