James Tormé - A Christmas Jazz Concert on Dec 19, 2009

The Nutcracker Swings - A Cool Jazz Christmas

Date:	Saturday, December 19, 2009
Time:	7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:	Pasadena Convention Center
Street:	300 E. Green Street
City/Town:	Pasadena, CA

A Benefit Concert for the Pasadena Jazz Institute


Featuring: Pasadena Jazz Orchestra, RedWhite+Bluezz All Stars,
Sacred Nation Gospel Choir and PJI Junior Superstars

Special appearances by James Tormé, Renee Olstead, Sylvia St. James and Victor Vener






For more information and ticket, visit
http://nutcrackerswings.com/







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Google Wave for Dummies

I was just invited by Google Wave from a Usagi Project member a couple days ago.

Well, since Google team doesn't always promote their product as well as Apple marketing team. I had a very hard time understanding the potential of Google Wave.

But once I got into the Google Wave. I suddently realized the potential.



Google Wave is Advanced Chat and Email system without "replying"

Or I could just say that it is a whiteboard on the net.

For example, in the traditional email system, you:

1. Create proposal/estimate
2. Send an email to your customer/partner
3. Your customer/partner receive email
4. Read an email body / Open an attachment
5. Reply the email or modified the attached document
6. Send back the reply
7. You check
8. Repeat the same process

Google Wave will remove all these steps. Since you are directly working with your partner/customer on the message (wave)



Google Wave is "message" version of Wikipedia or concrete5 CMS

So I can say that Google Wave is more intuitive version of Wikipedia or concrete5 CMS.

Mediawiki and concrete5 CMS are both well-designed knowledge based CMS.

They are made to display and ditribute the knowledge.

concrete5 are made to create the web site at the beginning, but because its intuitive and advanced permission model, concrete5 is also good CMS like Wiki.

But MediaWiki is "keyword"-base. And concrete5 CMS is "sitemap (collection)"-base.

So Google Wave is alternative tool as "message"-base


QUICK TUTORIAL: How to Use Google Wave for Dummies

Right now, Google Wave only accepts via invitation.

It's a good idea since they don't really have a good help resource, and Google themselves hasn't found the right way to market this service since they have a lot more potential.

So you need to wait for the invitation (My invites has already run out)

But this is an simple example of how to use Google Wave.

1. Log-in

2. Click "New Wave" to create new wave

3. The following is the image of new "wave" (message).

Google Wave is like advanced chat or collaboration tool. So if you don't have a purpose to create a document with somebody else, there is no use. You need to find your buddy, and reason why you need to create a document or do a discussion.

So being said... you need to add somebody to this wave by clicking the plus icon next to you

And add your friend/collegue to start working on the document.



What makes Google Wave stands out is you can see how other person is editing the message in real-time although you need fast internet connection and relatively fast computer.



Pros and Cons of Google Wave over concrete5 CMS

So I think we can take advantages of both Google Wave and concrete5 CMS.

Pros of Google Wave over concrete5 CMS

• Real-time editing
• Very intuitive
• Multiple-persons can edit the document at the same time

Cons of Google Wave over concrete5

• Hard to find the article (You need to create new wave, or ask your friend to invite you)
• Hard to navigate (it's only inbox list, and search via tag)
• No advanced permission models
• No advanced user management (No group yet)

So I think we can use both solutions under the right circumstances.


More Spefic Example of the uses of Google Wave

So the Google Wave has very high potential... if you want to

• create a proposal in team
• want to create an estimate with your customer
• want to create a contract with your partner

So, this is how I'm planning to use Google Wave as "Drafting Tool" with concrete5

1. Invite certain concrete5 Japanese language teams through our group site
2. create a New Wave, and work on some concrete5 tutorial in real-time
3. Once the tutorial reached the certain quality, move-on to concrete5 site
4. Publish the tutorial/document
5. Do some minor adjustment of concrete5 page that doesn't require real-time and multi-personnels

I just made Public Wave for concrete5 users

Anyway, I just made the public wave for concrete5 users. The image below was for Japanese users.

Search the following word

"with:public concrete5"

Let's do some talk via Google Wave

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"Yeppy" = "Yes" + "Happy"

I came up with some new word.

So I suddenly want to spread this word for no reason.

"Yes" + "Happy" = "Yeppy"

Definition

Yeppy [yep-ee]

–adverb

–adjective, -pi⋅er, -pi⋅est.

1. agreed and delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing
2. the combined emotion of agree and happy

Uses

A: You have a very good test score. Are you happy?

B: Yeppy.

Twitter hash-tag

Use "#yeppy" when you tweet something you agree and makes you happy

Japanese Curry Rice

Dear Japanese Curry Rice.

You are my reason to live.
If I don't have you more than once a week, I will die.
If I can have you once a week, I am in the heaven.

Dear Japanaese Curry Rice.

I can have various topping.
Tonight, I choose spicy eggplant.

Dear Japanese Curry Rice.

I can die for you

Dear Japanese Curry Rice

I had Keema Curry today at Japanese Curry chain, CoCo-Ichi.
I ordered extra spicy just for fun (level 5 out of 10)

Dear Keema Curry.

You were spicier than regular level 5 spicy curry.
But I managed to eat you all.
Whenever people feed me Japanese curry rice, I must eat them....

Oh my stomache is still hot.
It's now 3 hours after I ate that spicy curry.

Fumiko's Propose - A Japanese students' animation work

OK. When I saw this, I was stunned.

This 2 min animation was produced by the group of Japanese anime students in Kyoto.

For your convenience, there is some storyline.

Fumiko is a middle school student (?). She proposes Takashi to be her boyfriend.

But Takashi refuses her offer since he wants to devote his time for baseball at this moment....

Fumiko gets shocked and shocked... and shocked...... anyway... here is the anime.

Without a further due, here you go....

Those of whom got confused... it looks like Fumiko traveled around the world, and came back to where Takashi is.

And she tried one more time... "I will cook your miso soup every morning!"

But Takashi refused again, IMMEDIATELY.... poor girl.....

Anyway, I was impressed by thier work... here are the credit.

Cast

Fumiko - Hina

Takashi - So Raika (????)

Directed/Drawing/Background/3D CG/Edited/Sound Effects by

Yasuhiro Ishida

Background/3D Texture by

Yuuko Iwase (???)

3D Texture/Background by

Kazuhiro Murakami

Drawing by

Tatsuro Kawano

3D CG Modeling by

Yusaku Nagata

The director, Yasuhiro Ishida, is currently a animation student who is looking for a job.

He's 21 years old who goes to Kyoto Seika University, Manga Major - Animation Course.

Somebody, give him a job~!

I'm looking forward to seeing his future.

Here is Ishida's personal blog with pictures of drawing.

====================

Fumiko's Propose - Detail Info and screenshots (in Japanese)

http://d.hatena.ne.jp/Tete/20091108

====================

In addition, browse the rest of his blog... you can check out his "homework" projects, and the photo of his apartment where he made his animation?

http://d.hatena.ne.jp/Tete/

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Kyoto World Heritage Wedding for 600,000 yen

Nijo Castle, the one of World Heritage Site in Japan, is now accepting the reservation of the traditional wedding for the 2010 season until the end of this month (Oct 31, 2009).

www.nijojo-wedding.jp

Nijo Castle was built during the Tokugawa era (completed in 1603) as the residents of Tokugawa Family in Kyoto.

In 1994, Nijo Castle was registered as the part of Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Wikipedia).

According to the report from NHK program, the City of Kyoto appointed Kyoto Kokusai Hotel to provide the wedding service at Nijo Castle.

By opening the door to grooms and brides, the City of Kyoto hopes everyone to be familiar with the tradition of Kyoto, and preserve its craftmanship.

For 2010, they are accepting 65 couples to hold the wedding at Nijo Castle.

• 60 couples for daytime wedding between April-June, Sep-Dec, 2010, and March 2011
• 5 couples for nighttime wedding between April 23 and May 30 2010

If more than 65 couples aqpply for the wedding, they will hold the lottery to select the couples.

* Perhaps, you should visit Nijo Castle on one of those weekends. You may be able to witness the wedding.

Daytime Wedding Schedule

This is the translation from

http://www.nijojo-wedding.jp/schedule.html

The plan includes:

1. Traditional Rikisha (Jinrikisha) Parade into the Nijo Castle

Carried by the Rikisha (Japanese wooden cart) specially hand-made by 30 traditional craftmen in Kyoto.

Gloom and Bride get into the Rikisha at Kyoto Kokusai Hotel, and they will go through the gate into the Garden

2. Zen-so (Introduction)

Groom and bride entrer to Seiryu Garden (清流園)

*the place is usually closed to the public.

*Music is accompanied by Gagaku (Japanese traditional music) from here

3. Kongi (Ceremony) - Vow, and exchange ring

4. Mizuawase-no-gi (水合せの儀), Konka &Kissa-no-gi (婚菓・喫茶の儀)

The group now moves to Kaun-Tei (香雲亭), the tea house.

For, Konka & Kissa-no-gi, the couple will be required to hand-make a bamboo chopsticks prior to the wedding.

And groom and bride will serve the Japanese snacks to the wedding guests by using the bambo chopsticks

5. Ko-so (Postlude)

Closing the ceremony.

Groom and bride will throw Origami cranes to the guests in the garden from the eave of Kaun-tei

6. Picture

7. Departure

Leave the Nijo castle by Rikisha.

*and you will be seen by a lot of tourist, of course.

Location

I think you just need to see the picture here...

http://www.nijojo-wedding.jp/ceremony.html

Basic Plan Detail

The basic daytime plan is 600,000 yen for 30 guests.

The nighttime wedding will cost 700,000 yen.

(I mean the price include the wardrobe rental~!!?? This is very cheap.)

• Wardrobe rental for groom
• Choose one from
• Sokutai
• Montsuki-Hakama
• Wardrobe rental for bride
• Choose one from (Including hair and make-up fee)
• Juni-hitoe (十二単) !!!!
• White Japanese kimono
• White Western dress
• Ceremony (including master of ceremony, marriage certificate, location fee)
• Music peformers (Gagaku)
• Kaizoe (The special assistant to Bride for wardrobe and ceremony)
• Origami crane, and flowers
• Picture (1 set only)

** Most materials used at the ceremony are made in or around Kyoto (includes kimono and marriage certificate paper!)

Options:

• Dance by Maiko (Geisha)
• Music with flute and Japanese koto
• Adiditional photo
• Video production (DVD service)
• Wardrobe rental for the guests

Reservation

Call them by October 31, 2009 in Japanese.

Nijo Wedding (Kyoto Kokusai Hotel)

TEL 075-222-1111 (call them in Japanese)

Well... I'm sure this will be very competitive... But if you feel like doing Japanese wedding.... go for this VERY tradisional Japanese wedding.

I seriously started thinking about having the wedding at Nijo Castle (although I don't have the right person to get married yet :-p)

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Japanese online audience are similar to TV audience

In the response to

CHART OF THE DAY: Lunchtime Is The New Primetime

http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-lunchtime-is-the-new-primetime-2009-10

A Japanese blogger posted this reply

The US's new Primetime is Lunchtime, how about Japan?

http://adinnovator.typepad.com/ad_innovator/2009/10/国内アメリカのゴールデンタイムはランチタイム日本では.html

Japanese online prime time for online video is very similar to TV.

Between 9am-10am, and 7pm-11pm.

The Japanese work environment is very strict, and they are very careful about using somebody else's computer and typing credit card information.

Therefore, there is virtually nobody who spent their lunchtime using the work computer watching online videos, or shopping.

So what do they do during the lunchtime?

They use their cell phone~!

Japanesen cell phone can watch TV, buy stuff online and play games.

So the online video viewweship tends to have the similarily to the traditional TV viewership.

They only spend online time at home....

Very interesting,.

----

16,000 yen for New York and 21,000 yen for LA from Japan!!!

UPDATE (9/16 6pm JST): The ticket has sold out... the links below are no longer valid.

I've been researching an air ticket for my travel from Japan to USA.

And I found a craaaaazy travel agency.

Their name is Skygate.

It's Japanese online travel agency....

And I started subscribing their newsletter.

Just now, I received their newsletter....

16,000 !!!!!! yen Round Trip Ticket from Narita - New York

http://www.skygate.co.jp/airserv/PriceViewServlet?SkygGdsId=171599D&S1=priceViewByGoods

21,000 !!!!!! yen Round Trip Ticket from Narita - Los Angeles!

http://www.skygate.co.jp/airserv/PriceViewServlet?SkygGdsId=171602D&S1=priceViewByGoods

Well, the cheap ticket always has the restriction.

New York ticket: (Product ID 171599D)

• CANNOT select which airline
• MUST leave between Sep 23-30.
• MUST be 5-10 days trip.
• CANNOT change the return date.
• No refund, no cancellation
• Tax is NOT included (of course)
• MUST call for availability and buying ticket

Los Angeles ticket: (Product ID 171602D)

• CANNOT select which airline
• MUST leave either on Sep 26 or 27
• MUST be 5-10 days trip
• CANNOT change the return date
• No refund, no cancellation
• Tax is NOT included (of course)
• MUST call for availability and buying ticket

How to Order

They only take phone order, and their phone line will close 8pm today and starts 10am tomorrow (JST)

Skygate

http://www.skygate.co.jp/

03-5909-1150 (THEY ONLY SPEAK JAPANESE)

Good luck everyone.

The final deadline is by Sep 18 6pm (JST), but I'm sure they run out quickly.

If you are seeing this blog after 9/14 MON (JST), you may not be able to get the ticket.

My Only Worry About Japanese Politics

Last weekend, I went to vote the Japanese general election. This was my 1st time that I was able to vote the Lower House (The House of Representatives).

Since I spent the most of my 20s in Los Angeles. I didn't really get chance to vote. We had to go through a very complicated paperwork in order to vote overseas. And you had to go to Japanese Embassy or Consulate by yourself to register? Downtown LA? Too much traffic and expensive parking... And you were only able to vote the parties, not the candidiate themselves.

However, from this time's general election, we could register and vote the local candidiate according to the local district. So I assume more Japanese people who live overseas had a chance to get involved the General Election.

Anyway, I'm not going to talk about the policy of Democratic Party of Japan this time, but I do have one concern..... which is the timing of hand over.

Too quick? The 20-days hand over process

15 years ago, Liberal Democratic Party once lost its ruling party position, but it didn't last long. LDP was able to gain back the power within a year. Also, since it was just a coalition of opposite parties, they had a hard time organizing everybody together.

But due to the overwhelming victory of DPJ, I think it will last this time.

But only 20 days to call the Parliament, and elect the new Prime Minister?

And under such a hard circumstances?

Hmmmm....

If you think about it, although Japan is a small country, the government is still big.

According to the number from Japanese Government Statics Bureau web site, the number of Japanese government official is over 300,000 in 2007.

http://www.stat.go.jp/data/nihon/g5324.htm

It's still a huge organization.

And they only switch the boss within 20 days, whereas Obama spent almost 3 months to organize until the presidential inauguration, and he had 100 days thereafter.

In last 60 years since the World War II, the Japan have had only one ruling party, LDP, except the short period of coalitions parties era.

Japanese people are not accustomed to the switch of their ruling parties. And they won't understand how much work it may take for DPJ to learn the entire system of Japanese government.

And I'm kinda sure that Japanese government officials themselves don't understand how hard it would be either since it's been 15 years since last time.... many Japanese government officials have never experienced the switch of the ruling party.

And DPJ have overwhelming number of newly elected house members. DPJ themselves has to educate these rookies as well.

Yesterday, the upcoming Prime Minsiter, Hatoyama announced that he wants to review all the government spending of 2010 fiscal year from the scratch by the end of the year.....

Yeah... if you want to re-review the budget of 300,000 government within 3 month without understanding the entire system of the government?

DPJ may have to spend 3 month to get used to, and 100 days to really start executing its Manifest... at least

In my opinion, as the US Government usually take 3 month to switch the office..., DPJ would have to spend at least 2 month to learn the system and get organized everything.... (since it's a smaller country)

However, they already have to start working right away.... probably.... they will end up spending 3 months to get organized. And finally their actual "100 days" begins.

In my personal opinion, you will probably see the actual change in 300 days....

But I have to see how well DPJ can explain how long it will take to learn the government system, and calm the impatient Japanese people down next 4 years under such acute economy.

But it's very uncommon, and abnormal that one party rules the country over 50 years except the dictatorship.

So Japanese and Japanese government will have to pay its price that they didn't change the ruling party in the last 60 years. But I think this is necessary sacrifice to spend with the fact that we will lose the 2nd position of GDP in the world this year.

So be patient, guys. The change will come... slow but for sure...

---

Forcing Propose Kit (For girls whose boyfriend are slow)

For the girls who has slow boyfriends

The Japanese bridal ring retail chain "Virgin Diamond" has released 「強制プロポーズセット」 which means... Forcing Propose Set for 8,892 yen on Aug 7, 2009. (Trademark pending)

When I saw the news, I was cracking up.

This set was made for the girls whose boyfriends are a little slow. So Virgin Diamond started selling these set to the frustrating girlfriends.

The set-ups

Once you (girlfriend) purchased the set, they will deliver the kit to your boyfriend's house.

Once he open the box, your boyfriend will see the following greeting card.

Congraturations, Ms. XXXX (Girlfriend's name) applied the our campaign

"Suprise Present Campaign ~ Support your love"

You are the one of lucky 80 winners~!

1st Prize - Vacation Trip to Pacific Islands 3 nights 4 days

2nd Prize - DVD Player plus ten (10) Romantic movies

3rd Prize - Overnight Train partitioned room ticket

4th Prize - For your up-and-coming day, Propose Set

5th Prize - One night Two day Zen Buddhist Tour with Love Lecture from a monk

6th Prize - Aphrodisiac Wine and Pair Glasses kit

7th Prize - Love card game - Game Candy, Special Box

And you have won the 4th prize. Congraturations!

And it follows by the instruction manual

For your girlfriend whom you think you want to be together forever.

From the web site, girlfriends should be prepared...:

If your boyfriend tells you that if he has received something, you must pretend that you don't know anything.

And if he tells you that he received Propose Set, you should laugh a little... but don't forget to add... "I hope it's true."

And boyfriends will see the following package.

Fake Engagement Ring and Box

From the web site,

" Many girls are suffering from their boyfriends are not able to buy her an engagement ring due to financial difficulty. And many girls are ended up not getting engagement ring.

Therefore, this fake engagement ring will bring a little happiness to the girls by your boyfriend giving it to you.

The ring was made of cubic zirconia which looks like diamond + platinam ring."

Okaaay. And then next.

Piggy Bank

*** This is not the actual piggy bank that they sell

From the web site

"Your boyfriend can start saving money for your real marriage. It can contain 100 of 500 yen coins, the total 50,000 yen.

If he saved up 50,000 yen, he can buy a real engagement ring from our store. Or he could try to save more and buy more expensive ring.

If your boyfriend think that he does not have anough money to buy you a ring, you could give him this piggy bank."

Okaaaay... here comes next

Engagement Contract (Promise Paper)

From web site

"This works best with piggy bank. This is the contract that states "I will buy you a real engagement ring".

It may be best if you kept it where the piggy bank is.

Also when you find your boyfriend spending a little much money, you can show this to him.

Moreover, this contract become discount coupon. If you bring this paper to our store, we will give you the discount of the same amount of this set, 8892 yen, when you purchase the real engagement ring.

So maybe you can spend the 8,892 yen to go out for fancy dinner together after you save the money from us."

Oh my god.... contract plus coupon... and you get full money back when you purchase the ring!

Moreover, they are doing this campaign.

Full Money Back Gurantee If Your Boyfriend Did Not Propose You by Sep 30

Ok girlfriends, you have nothing to lose.

Buy this Kyosei Propose Set for your boyfriend, so that you guys can finally get married~!

PS.

They set the price 8892 yen because

8 = ha, 8 =ya 9 =ku, 2 =ni.

8892 = Hayakuni = Hurry Up.

You can purchase this set at their online store. I don't think they ship it oversees... but...

Kyosei Propose Set - Online Store (Japanese only)

http://www.b-surprise.com/kyosei/

About Full Money Back Campaign by Sep 30, 2009 (Japanese only)

http://www.b-surprise.com/campaign/

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