Category Archives: Japan (日本)

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) March 30, 2020 Japan is extremely behind the times when it comes to online learning. However, the current COVID-19 crises may be a good chance for schools to start it if the Ministry of Education and Science can get their act together and allow it. Common Types of Online Learning BLENDED LEARNING: This mixes physical classroom learning with some online learning. The teacher is in the classroom and the student is either in the classroom or online. HYBRID COURSES: These combine online learning with face-to-face learning. There can be several instructors teaching the courses, but the student is mostly online. SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING: This is mainly additional learning and taken with other classes. The learning and testing are all done online. ONLINE COURSES: The course is taught completely online and the student can be in class […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) March 28, 2020 Here in Japan, we have politicians telling the people to stay home and practice social distancing. Yet, we see the same Covidiots on TV sitting elbow to elbow in crowded rooms where they discuss ways in which to tell the people how to avoid crowded rooms, poor ventilation and social distancing while talking. They’re so desperate to get their faces on TV that they line up shoulder to shoulder in the same crowded room filled with photographers forced to film their publicity-hungry figures. Talk about putting people at risk! It’s time for these people to start practicing what they preach!! バカな政治家：言行を一致させる 日本では、政治家は国民に外出自粛を呼び掛けたり、ベン図の『密封空間』、『近距離会話』や『手の置く距離に多くの人』交わりの危険性を注意したりしている。 他方ではその同じバカな政治家は会議で肘が接するほどの距離に座って、国民にその3つの危険条件を伝える方法を話す。更にテレビに自分の顔を映るために肩を並べて立ち、同じ混んでいる部屋に並ぶ。同じ部屋には可哀そうに、危険にさらされているカメラマンがいなければならない。どこまでアホか？！ 政治家は言行を一致させるべきだ！！ ************ English novels by Billy Hammond published by AELS (AELS出版英語書籍リスト）   I. Majoh Gakuin and Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools Trilogy 1. Majoh Gakuin & Hikari Juku […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) March 24, 2020 13-year old Hime Takimoto saw the long lines of people in front of drugstores waiting for surgical masks that had already sold out and noticed the profiteering going on in selling them on auction and flea market sites on the Net. She decided to do something about it and asked her mom to withdraw her savings. She took her savings and purchased fabric and mask-making materials and began to sew. She managed to make 612 cloth masks and attached handwritten messages to each one expressing her hopes that they would be of some help. She took her hand-sewn masks and gave them to Mayor Nagasaki of Yamanashi Prefecture, who gratefully accepted them and promised to distribute them to elderly and children’s institutions. The photo in the Japanese article shows her donating her […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) March 21, 2020 Quarantine Shaming In an AP article yesterday entitled, “‘Quarantine shaming’: US navigates radical new social norms” Gillian Flaccus outlines how Americans are now expressing their irritation at those who ignore social distancing for their own selfish pleasures. According to the article, a person who posted photos on Instagram of a small dinner gathering of local business leaders at a local restaurant was blasted for his actions in the current COVID-19 environment where people are being encouraged to self-isolate. Likewise, the people who flocked to the less-populated suburbs from LA as soon as schools were closed were singled out. It made me think about Japan and the large numbers of people (especially teenagers) who are ignoring the government’s admonition to stay home and refrain from unnecessary travel. As we enter the 2nd day […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) March 4, 2020 Cram Schools: The Next Infection Epicenters? I watched news footage on TV showing students attending cram schools (juku) from the morning due to the government’s shutdown of the schools. The economics of most cram schools dictate that they utilized limited and usually rented space to seat as many students as possible. As such, the students on TV were seated even closer to each other than they would be in school classrooms. The cram school operators stressed that they were taking measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 such as using alcohol to wash their students hands, taking body temperatures and having their students wear masks. Still, from what we’ve seen so far in nosocomial in-hospital infections where the infected were professionals with expertise in the prevention of the same. It’s ludicrous to […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) January 19, 2020 I’ve tried to keep track of the students I’ve taught martial arts to over the past 40 years or so. One thing that surfaces time and again is the relation between junior high and high school club activities and their reaching their full potentials. I’ve taught students who were bright and brilliant academically in their elementary school years go on to junior high and join a school club that dominated their time to the point where they had no time to study. Some junior high and high school club teachers feel that their club has to produce Olympic athletes and be the best in the country no matter what the cost. I can immediately think of two ex-students who suffered permanent injuries as a result of this kind of thinking and a […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) January 14, 2020 I’ve noticed a trend to feature retro 1960’s – 80’s commercials in Japanese ads on TV over the past two years or so. For me, they’re quite cute and nostalgic; so much so that I often find myself forgetting the product they were advertising afterwards… レトロＣＭ この過去2年間ほどに60年～80年代のレトロ テレビＣＭが多くなったような気がする。 私にとっては、それらは可愛くって懐かしい。しかし、レトロのイメージが強過ぎて、後で何の宣伝だったかを思い出せない… ****** English novels by Billy Hammond published by AELS (AELS出版英語書籍リスト）   I. Majoh Gakuin and Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools Trilogy 1. Majoh Gakuin & Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools 2. Lost Witch (The second book) 3. Fate & Magic (The final book in the trilogy) II. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire Trilogy 1. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire 2. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire – Returns 3. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire – Challenges (The final book in the trilogy) III. Fantasy fiction set […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) December 19, 2019 Many 24-7 businesses such as convenience stores are planning to take January 1st off to give their employees a chance to enjoy New Year’s. When I filled up with gas on Monday, I noticed a sign at the station announcing they’d be closed from the 1st to the 3rd. While all of this may sound pretty revolutionary to younger people, for those who were in Japan during the first half of the Showa years, it’s nothing unusual. Back then, everything except the shrines and temples shut down. On the bad side, most of the few businesses that stayed open charged “New Year’s Prices.” お正月３ケ日 授業員を休ますために様々な店は来年から元日～３日までお正月休みを決めている。 月曜日にガソリンを入れた時、スタンドの張り紙に１日～３日のお休みに気付いた。 若者にとってはこれが革新的と思われるかも知らないが、昭和を生きて来た人たちには珍しくも何もないだ。昭和時代の大半には神社やお寺以外の殆どの店がその三日間休みだった。残念な面は営業していた店は『お正月料金』を貰っていた。 ********** English novels by Billy Hammond published by AELS (AELS出版英語書籍リスト）   I. Majoh Gakuin and Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools Trilogy 1. Majoh Gakuin […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) December 16, 2019 In North America and Hawaii, 911 is the number used to access emergency services, which include law enforcement, ambulance, fire and rescue. In 96% of the US, calling 911 will connect the caller with a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAT) that will automatically give the dispatcher the address the call originates from. The dispatcher at the PSAT will send out emergency responders. Japan uses 119 (the reverse of 911) for their fire, rescue and ambulance services and 110 for law enforcement. 911（日本なら119番または110番） 日本には消防や救急隊要請番号は『119』だけど、北米（ハワイも含む）では全ての緊急要請は『911』となる。警察、救急、消防が全てその番号で対応されている。その番後を廻すとPublic Safety Answering Point (PSAP)(緊急応答機関)の局に電話が転送される。そこからその事態に応じての警察・消防などに連絡を取り、派遣される。 ********** English novels by Billy Hammond published by AELS (AELS出版英語書籍リスト）   I. Majoh Gakuin and Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools Trilogy 1. Majoh Gakuin & Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools 2. Lost Witch (The second book) 3. Fate & Magic (The final book […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) December 12, 2019 “Code Blue” is the name of a popular Japanese TV drama series featuring helicopter air ambulance doctors. In the theater version of it that aired on December 7, 2019, the beginning portion featured a real helicopter doctor team at a Japanese hospital. During the episode, someone on the doctors’ team made a reference to the patient and FAST. I don’t recall any explanatory subtitles, but then again I might have missed them. For viewers who are wondering what it is, it’s part of the algorithm used in assessing multi-trauma patients. It stands for Focused Assessment Sonographic Trauma and is used to identify fluid leakages such as hemorrhages. The first step in FAST is to view the area on the right side which contains what is known as Morrison’s pouch, which will show […]