This car looks interesting, and apparently will be available for buyers in 2011 at aprox. $20,000. It looks like it’ll run on just about anything, including vegitable oil, but it’s primary source would be air.
“The air car can tool along at a top speed of 35 mph for some 60 miles or so on a tank of compressed air, a sufficient distance for 80% of consumers to commute to work and back and complete daily chores.”
“On highways, the CAV can cruise at interstate speeds for nearly 800 miles with a small motor that compresses outside air to keep the tank filled. The motor isn’t finicky about fuel. It will burn gasoline or diesel as well as biodiesel, ethanol or vegetable oil.”
You could even plug the car in to a wall sock while its compressing air and recharge it with electricity. On gas, the “car would average 106 mpg.”
I wanted to put this article up because I like that it’s a good example of alternative fuel engines that is actually doable. Their biggest worry is the crash-tests, but I think that if the smart car passed, this car probably can as well. I wonder if the US will start to see smaller cars like this around. It will be hard because as a consumer martket, we typically thing “the bigger the better.” But I hope more alternatives like this keep coming out.
As a part-time job, I’ve been teaching English as a private tutor (actually a really common job for students in Japan). It’s pretty well paying, and it’s near the school. But, I’ve been having a lot of trouble because my student cancels at least half of the four times we are supposed to meet each month. And, this month, she canceled for three of the times.
My friend and I were talking about this, and it’s not really fair to the person teaching to clear a time especially to teach, and then find out last minute that they’re not actually teaching that day. Though, it would be really cool if, every time we skipped a class at school, we got a refund.
But really, I work at a private company and the person choose to study with me. The student should commit to that schedule. Of course, if the teacher couldn’t make it, no payment should be made. But otherwise, the teacher still plans to take time out and teach, so they still deserve to be paid if the student cancels. (I feel this way as a student as well – experience comes from Aikido.)
Often, I’m asked if I’m lonely without my family, or if I’ll be lonely when I go to France or back home. So, of course, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to think of the matter.
First, of course I miss my family when I’m away. But I don’t feel home-sick so much. My family is my family, and I know they are always there for me. So I don’t feel that being away makes me lonely. Same for my friends; I (will) miss being able to spend time with them, but they are my friends, and we should be able to stay friends despite distance.
Maybe I just feel that the people who are close to me, should support the dreams and goals I have. And that, even though it’s better to be together, such an issue shouldn’t hold our relationships back. Nor should we hold our friends/family back just because we want to be together. Things will work out in the end.
But, on the same topic, a friend who asked me this, said that he wished he had a strong heart. He didn’t want farewells to bother him.
But I think he should have said “cold heart” and not strong. I think that it takes more strength to care for people, and to foster deep feelings for people, than it does to not feel. Feeling is so much more difficult than not feeling at all.
It’s hard to remember sometimes, but definitely true.
So today I’ve been floating around TED Talks. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It was started in 1984, and the goal was to bring people from those three worlds together and see what can come from the experience.
Now, over four days, 50 speakers are each given the challenge to pass on the most important thing they can think of, in an 18-minute time slot. Since 1984, the conference has grown, and the annual conference in long beach sells out a year in advance. It’s impossible and expensive to attend, but then they give it all away for free through out the year.
It seems to me that a lot of people are thinking about education, and I’m definitely no exception to this. This makes sense as a common train of thought, since nearly everyone has some opinion on the way kids, and even adults, are taught. We’ve all gone through some version of an educational system, so we all have thoughts on what was good about it and what was bad.
This is a Talk given by Bill Strickland. Really, it speaks for itself, and if you have the time watch. If not, what you really need to know is that Mr. Strickland built a center for poor people in the poorest, roughest part of Pittsburgh. It’s a high quality life with gourmet food, art, and a fountain. And it saves the lives of kids and families that were otherwise given-up on, by teaching them.
I think education can be the medicine for most of the problems we face today. It can help prevent future issues that lead to the current state of the U.S. Economy. Maybe more people would have avoided the adjustable interest mortgage, knowing that, having started at the lowest possible point, it would have only become more expensive. It can help with issues of global warming and environmental consciousness, by making it something people are aware of.
But I think our (the U.S.) education system, and probably most other systems around the world, really need to go back and take a look at the way things are. When kids can graduate from high school without being able to read or complete simple math (addition and subtraction), we should see we have a problem.
And I think a lot of people do see it, but they’re afraid to say something. Because, probably the same thing that happened to me, happened to them. Back when I was a high school student (keep in mind I went to an elite high school that was supposed to be giving students an opportunity to advance even further than before), I said something to my counselor.
We were talking about ideas and all that, and I said that the way things were being run (i.e. the government) was wrong, because it wasn’t working. Too many people are dissatisfied with the policies coming out, people are struggling to support themselves, and money was going to the wrong places. But, her answer wasn’t to ask why I thought those things, or how I thought they could be improved. She asked me, “well, do you have a better idea? No? Then you can’t say that.”
Now, I have nothing against democracy or the U.S. government. But I do feel like it’s stagnated a bit while change has not, and we need to make up for that. That’s not the point, however. The point is that I think that’s the worst thing someone could have said. If we don’t question organizations and systems openly, we can’t expand them, or grow them, along with the growth and change of human society. Not having a better alternative to something that’s not working doesn’t mean what’s available is the best option. It just means we need to start thinking of how to accommodate the needs a society or group is currently facing.
And education should not only teach, but encourage us to expand on what we have. It should go so far as expect us to do better than we think we can. To use the opportunities we come upon to grow ourselves and leave an imprint on the world (*this relates to Johnny Bunko also). And education should prepare us for our future lives.
Many people would argue, “how can we be prepared for the future? You just said yourself things keep changing,” or something along those lines. The truth is, education can’t do that with the current format. We are leading more and more towards a society that focuses on memorizing formulas and passing tests. Our system is out of date, and needs to be re-worked.
If I were to design an educational system, and anyone who knows me should know I’ve given this a great deal of thought since the time I was in middle school, I would probably be criticized for being so outlandish, and throwing out standard procedures and all that.
We need to bring in other activities as a focus. I think it should be re-quired for students to take a dance or other physical class every day. Not Physical Education, but a course dedicated to say a sport, soccer, swimming. Personally, I think Dance should be re-quired by everyone from a young age. Because, for the rest of our lives, dance is a way to socialize, and to relax. And many people feel excluded from this realm of communication by the time they reach adulthood, because they stopped dancing.
It is also important to impart a consciousness on children. We need to be aware of our environments (both physical and social). We’ve started moving in the right directions with this, by requiring under-grads to take an ethics course. But this only goes so far. Why not start teaching philosophy as a part of the high school curriculum? If we teach the history of philosophy different forms of thought, and let the kids decide for themselves what is best, then I think they are more likely to take away something from it.
Of course, learning things such as math and English (in English speaking countries of course) will forever be important. But I think we should be able to start learning algebra in 6th grade, not 8th. And start moving up from there. We should learn the basics of writing a standard essay starting in middle school, not college. High school should be what it was once supposed to be: higher learning. High school should be the place we start finding the path we really enjoy. Students should be able to choose the things they focus on starting in high school.
It could be designed after the Associates in Arts (2-year) degree program. You start out taking a selection of introductory course into different fields: cooking, visual art, photography, cinematography, advanced sciences/maths, literature, etc. Of course, students need to take a certain number from outside their major interest, and complete a certain selection of required courses.
In a two semester per year program, my require courses would be: 3.5 years of philosophical history, and 0.5 years of philosophical seminar. At least one physical activity every year (meaning at least two semesters of the same activity). 4 years of foreign language – I need to further expand this idea later. While, I’m pretty confident most kids in middle school can operate a computer more efficiently than their parents, I also want to have a class to understand a computer.
The computer class would be either one or two semesters during the first year of high school. In this class, I want to start the kids from scratch, i.e. hardware. Because while they can operate the computer, most kids cannot build one, and do not know how they work. This class would go all the way through building a computer and mod-ing it to fit their needs.
Ideally, I want the kids to take these computers home after course completion, and use them for as long as they can. This solves a big problem for kids who can’t afford a computer, because first, they get the computer, and second, they will know how to build an update a computer themselves, and be able to stay cutting edge without having to buy a brand new computer.
I think my idea for a foreign language would be the most difficult. The first two years would have to get the student up to a relatively conversational level. Teach them what they would need to know to survive in a country that speaks their chosen language. The second two years, would then be any subject taught in a foreign language. To do this, each week would be something like 4 days of the subject, one day of vocabulary and grammar retaining to the subject.
Finally, I would require a reading list for outside of class in high school. Each student would be pared with a faculty adviser, and once a month, do a standard length essay on a different book. All students would be required the same reading list, so everyone will have the same foundation so far is literary accomplishment.
There are just a couple more points that need to be pointed out that haven’t fit in anywhere. First, education should be hands on. Sciences need to be taught in a more visual way, because learning Chemistry and Physics solely through use of a text book and lecture is impossible. Understanding Biology is impossible without examples. And this needs to start from the time we start learning.
Second, getting back to what Bill Strickland said, the environment should be as nice as possible. The buildings don’t have to be brand new, but they should be clean. Their should be flowers and sunlight and nature as much as possible. Lunch rooms should be inviting and lunch food should taste good! (This can be done at an economical price, just think outside the box!)
Finally, this needs to be just more than one school. This has to work within a community; different high schools specializing in different subjects or languages. And colleges will need to re-evaluate their programs as well. But that’s all in time, and it all would start with just one opportunity to open just one school.
So, thats the summary of my vision for education. Really, that’s the short version. I left out a lot of issues, including teacher issues (qualifications, pay, etc). Transportation issues. Finding the resources for all of my ideas. There are many things that would need to be addressed. But I’d love to be the person leading this type of mission. Improving education has been a passion of mine for a long time, and I hope I someday have the chance to put my hands in and do what I can.
The last thing I want to mention is something a friend of mine said to me. She said “Jes, you always have such big dreams.” I think that its important for everyone to have dreams, and if they can, to have big dreams. (Of course, the only thing stopping someone is his/her -self.) I think education should be a means to make reaching someone’s dreams possible.
Anyway, I hope this made someone think a little bit. And, if you see something you want to question, please do. I want to see this as clearly as possible.
So, I have the Ex-word SW9400. It’ s pretty close to the newest dictionary (will hereby be known as jisho if it’s electronic) you can get (or at least it was when I bought it in august). And, it’s the handiest tool I could buy for living in a foreign country.
It’s really great because I don’t have to use a paper dictionary (you all know I love books, but even I don’t want to carry dictionaries with me everywhere). You can type in kanji, kana, or english.
My problem is that my jisho is only japanese an english. I intended to add other languages to it, but I didn’t specify when I asked that I wanted the other languages to also be connected to english. So, according to the electronics store in Nanba, they don’t make cards for the other languages into english!! They only way you can get them is to buy a dictionary that already has it!
And since I’m going to study in France for 6 weeks, I’d really like french-english dictionaries! Going from french to japanese to english (and reverse order) is waaaay to めんどくさい <troublesome>! I’m still researching the situation, but it looks like all I can do is to buy a new jisho with what I want on it. I think it would be worth it to do so, but I’d rather just be able to add the dictionary to the jisho I already have!
I’ll update you all on this situation when it progresses.
So I took the Myers-Briggs Personality test at: http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm
I scored:
introverted – 11%
intuitive – 62%
thinking – 12%
judging – 33%
I looked up the personality type at: http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/myers-briggs/intj.htm
INTJs direct their energy towards the inner world of thoughts and emotions. They use their imaginations to come up with new ideas, possibilities and perspectives. They often organise their lives on a logical basis, and produce plans and strategies to put their ideas into practice.
What makes an INTJ tick?
The Dominant function is the perceptive one of iNtuition. Characteristics associated with this function include:
Likes looking at information from a global viewpoint, spotting patterns and relationships, that lead to an understanding of the key issues
Focuses more on possibilities for the future than the here-and-now
Enjoys change, challenge, and variety
The perceptive iNtuition function is introverted. That is, iNtuition is used primarily to govern the inner world of thoughts and emotions. The INTJ will therefore:
Seek to develop a understanding of how the world can be
Seek to understand the patterns underlying his/her observations
Be strategic in nature, wanting to establish a clear vision towards which the INTJ is working
Not involve others in the development of that vision
The iNtuition function is primarily supported by extraverted Thinking judgement. That is, Thinking judgement is used primarily to manage the outer world of actions and words. This will modify the way that the iNtuition is directed, by:
focusing the (inner world) iNtuition on ideas and possibilities that relate to systems and concepts
inwardly maintaining a long term vision. Rather than communicating this vision directly, it may tend to surface in the form of criticism of ideas and situations that do not conform.
applying logical analysis to perceived patterns and possibilities, enabling the INTJ to quickly see the underlying principles in a situation
The classic temperament of an INTJ is Promethean, or Phlegmatic, for whom a basic driving force is the search for competence or excellence.
Contributions to the team of an INTJ
In a team environment, the INTJ can contribute by:
challenging the status quo
leading the team to a greater understanding of the concepts and principles involved
finding ways to overcome apparently insurmountable difficulties
developing and maintaining a sense of direction in the team’s work
observing and understanding the way the organization works, and leading the team to take appropriate action producing work to a high level of quality
ensuring that ideas and vision are translated into action
The potential ways in which an INTJ can irritate others include:
being single-minded or stubborn
not taking sufficient account of current realities
not expressing appreciation for the contributions of others, particularly where it hasn’t been fully competent
not delegating
making errors of fact, and appearing to make decisions irrespective of the facts
Personal Growth
As with all types, the INTJ can achieve personal growth by developing all functions that are not fully developed, through actions such as:
articulating the INTJ’s vision, and allowing others to contribute to its development
expressing appreciation for work done, even when it falls short of the INTJ’s personal standards
investigating the facts, and documenting them, before interpreting what they mean
taking time to consider the impact of the INTJ’s approach and ideas on people’s feelings
looking for and acknowledging positive contributions and areas of agreement, rather than just seeing flaws and areas of disagreement
Recognizing Stress
As stress increases, ‘learned behaviour’ tends to give way to the natural style, so the INTJ will behave more according to type when under greater stress. For example, in a crisis, the INTJmight:
retire to a private place and think through a problem until the INTJ has formulated a complete plan for solving it
try to maintain a high degree of quality in the solution
criticise others’ ideas, particularly if they involve compromising quality
make errors of fact, or pursue ideas that are unrealistic
Under extreme stress, fatigue or illness, the INTJ’s shadow may appear – a negative form of ESFP. Example characteristics are:
doing things to excess – e.g.: eating, drinking or exercising
acting very impulsively, perhaps starting off more projects than the INTJ could hope to accomplish
expressing emotions in an intensive and uncontrolled way
being very sensitive to criticism
asking for lots of information that is irrelevant
The shadow is part of the unconscious that is often visible to others, onto whom the shadow is projected. The INTJ may therefore readily see these faults in others without recognizing it in him/her self.
So, in Japan, Easter is almost unheard of. But, that’s ok. Easter is a lot about spending time with family. I spent today with my Host family, the Nakatani’s, from last semester. I really like spending time with them, and I really feel like they are part of my family.
Today was a charity concert for the Kansai Guide Dog Association (moudouken kyokai). The first half was a performance by an elementary school choir. They sang a decent number of songs, did a couple dance numbers, and taught the audience to play a few hand games. They were so good! You could really tell they put a lot of effort into their performance. I’m really glad I had a chance to see them.
The second half was a Harp musician. After a few numbers, she was accompanied by a sax player! They were both pretty awesome, but the music was very soothing.. I wish they played a couple more u-beat songs.
Of course, like every other event i’ve gone to for the guide dogs, I had a lot of fun.
After the concert, we went into a small cake shop. I’m a sucker for cakes… my choice was a simple almond cake. I really would like to learn how to make it. Mary had a sweet potato based tart, and Koji had a giant cream-puff. They were all delicious.
On the way home, we went to nishiki, the food market in kyoto. And we also got Kumiko and Koji to take purikura (Print Club photos) with us! I’m glad we tried. They’re great pictures!
Then there was the race home for the Graduation Party! But I’m tired, so I’ll write about that tomorrow!
So, my student didn’t know we had a lesson today, and I wound up playing Zelda. All day. Exciting. Except not really. So, instead I’m going to rant a little about email response time.
When you live somewhere that’s 13+ hours ahead of where most of your friends and family live, a lot of your relationships depend on email (this is perhaps why it might be good to pay a little more attention in english class; or maybe they should have a new class all together: writing emails 101).
Of all the things about email I could rant about (spam, fwds, CAPS LOCK, txt short hand), the thing that gets me the most is how long it sometimes takes to get an answer. I’m pretty bad about this myself.. on average I take up to two or three days to answer. Sometimes longer. But I always answer. I wrote one of my friends an email about two weeks ago, and still no reply. Another friend was going to be near by, and I wanted to get together since it’s been so long, but of course, no answer.
My favorite are the people who take over three weeks to answer, if at all, and then complain that I don’t keep them informed. Unfortunately, my keeping them up to date partially requires them to check their email. Except, now I have this blog… so no more complaints. (^_^)
Anyway, that’s essentially my rant. I take the time to think about the emails I write, and the responses I write, so I wish it were more common to do the same in a timely manner.
This car looks interesting, and apparently will be available for buyers in 2011 at aprox. $20,000. It looks like it’ll run on just about anything, including vegitable oil, but it’s primary source would be air.