Pink crotch

This is a large bilboard that I pass on my way to work sometimes. It is an advertisement for a porn bookstore. Does this seem over the top to anyone else? Does it really deserve to remain along a heavily traveled roadway? This is a clipping from an article at the Center for Media Literacy. Dismemberment. Women's bodies are often dismembered and treated as separate parts, perpetuating the concept that a woman's body is not connected to her mind and emotions. The hidden message: If a woman has great legs, who cares who she is?

pinkcrotch Originally uploaded by Yokkaichi 1.

Remember this as hawks gloat about Japanese participation in the "war on terror"

Remember this as Cheney (Bush) and his lackeys gloat about having Japan on its side in the war on terror. Seems like it should be more of a moral liability than an asset to me.

While basically acknowledging the plaintiffs' claims that they were "abducted, confined, continuously beaten and raped by Japanese soldiers," Judge Wataru Yao rejected their demand for 23 million yen each in compensation, ruling that the state cannot be held responsible for actions taken before the National Redress Law went into force in 1947. Yao also said the plaintiffs' right to demand compensation no longer exists because more than 20 years had elapsed since the time when the women suffered the damage. -- Court dismisses compensation claims by WWII Chinese Sex Slaves

Academic Harassment and Power Harassment

These two terms recently came up in a faculty meeting here. I had never heard these two terms or their abbreviated forms, "akahara" and "pawahara." Yokkaichi University will have a workshop on these two forms of harassment, which amounts to bullying and discrimination. I was interested in finding out what the workshop themes were about before I went, so I Googled it. It appears that this terminology comes from Japanese industry and academics. Here are two definitions that I found helpful in understanding the terms.

Academic Harassment

Academic harassment in an educational or research setting occurs when, either through one’s actions or words, there is an abuse of authority, offensive treatment of another, a lack of respect shown for another’s personality or individuality, or when a person’s right to study, do research, or work is violated.
Depending on the form of harassment, not only would a victim’s emotional well being be affected, it may also have a negative influence on that person’s future.

• A faculty member lacks essential leadership
• Character assassination through statements such as, “You are stupid,” “You aren’t qualified to take this class,” or “Please quit.”
• Saying things like, “You haven’t listened, so I won’t grant you credit, and you can’t graduate.”

　 Examples in a research office

• Not permitting the use of books or equipment in a research office
• Refusal to accept a research theme or coercing someone to do a specific theme
• Taking someone else’s research results or interfering with thesis writing

• Not providing the necessary information to carry out job-related duties
• Assigning work unrelated to official duties or assigning unrelated duties of a private nature
• Spreading rumors by saying, “That person is strange,” or “Working with that person will damage your reputation,” or disseminating documents of a similar nature
• Refusing to promote someone by giving reasons such as “That person’s attitude is bad.”

This definition is from Kyoto Gaikokugo Daigaku.


Power Harassment
This definition is from the UTU Forum Report.

Power Harassment signifies either intentional or unintentional remarks, behavior, guidance, and/or treatment by individuals of higher status, taking advantage of their authoritative positions in the workplace, or deviating from these positions that produces results that may considerably hinder an individual’s motivation to work and degrade the environment for fellow or junior colleagues.

It's good that these kinds of bullying and discrimination are getting some attention, and it will be even more interesting to see where it leads. Up to now, awareness of sexual harassment has led to some positive changes in the workplace, while at the same time, discrimination against women has not.

hercules beetle

This is a picture of the hercules beetle that shared our house for a while. He was quite a large animal. I use the past tense, because he died the other day. Our neighbor brought him to our house. He had been on the road, and she thought the kids would like it. The kids did like it. He was big and very strong. We had kept him in a container for large insects for a couple of days. They sell all the stuff you need to keep these animals at shops, bug chow an all, where they also often sell the bugs themselves for somewhere around $5 each. I hope he lived long enough in the wild to produce offspring. He was a magnificent beast, as bugs go.

herc Originally uploaded by Yokkaichi 1.

owned bike

This bicycle is getting owned by some kudzu. Kudzu will basically envelope anything, here and in the US. In Japan though, it has some practical uses. Its root has been used for a thickener for everything from soups to confections. There is a kind of sweet called "kuzu mochi" that is quite nice, and is made primarily of kudzu. It is difficult to find 100% kudzu powder, for some strange reason, and it is expensive. I'm not sure why, because the stuff seems to grow everywhere and with great vigor. I even asked some family members if they had ever seen a kudzu crop. They said that they thought they had, but they couldn't remember where. Seems like it would be a cash crop to me.

owned bike Originally uploaded by Yokkaichi 1.

Fallen Rice

Last week's typhoon that blew through Kyushu and Western Japan knocked lots of farmers' crops. This is just one example. It looks like this field is only about half down. Some places were all fallen down.

fallen rice Originally uploaded by Yokkaichi 1.