Category: Entries with Images
Mobile Pics
One of my regrets from this past year is that I didn’t buy a better mobile phone when I arrived in Japan. Instead of going for the latest and greatest, I decided to be frugal (somewhat unusual for me when it comes to gadgets). So I’ve been stuck with a phone that takes kind of crappy pictures. As such, I rarely use the phone’s camera and almost never post pictures from the phone on this site. Wish I’d gotten that fancy, expensive one I was ogling last summer.
The images of Sam on the left and right above were taken on the Nagano Dentetsu line, a small private train line that runs locally in Nagano and the nearby suburb cities. It’s a train line that’s seen better days, and everyone complains about it because it’s so expensive. When riding on it in the late evening, it reminds me of Haruhiko Shono’s beautiful, lonely, haunting game/experience, Gadget.
Two Shades Of Blue From Shiga Kogen
After the mountain clouds blew off around noon, we had spectacular weather for a day of boarding at Shiga Kogen. The above photo was taken from the top of Yakebitai Yama (2000m), looking across a valley to another of the 21 resorts that make up Shiga Kogen. Even though we could see all the way down to Nagano in the distance, I wasn’t able to get a good photo of that view because the sun was shining so brightly from that direction.
By the time we left around 5pm, the sun was just setting behind the resort mountains. The photo below was taken in the parking lot, looking west.
Where’s My Nose?
Cabin Fever
Spring feels just around the corner, although in reality it’s still another month away. I remain deep in hibernation mode, sleeping longer hours and having little luck dragging myself out of the apartment in the morning for some exercise before work.
Be Very, Very Afraid
I can’t decide whether to laugh or cry about how pathetically easy it is to mock the U.S. government’s new ready.gov web site.
The site, created by the Department of Homeland Security, offers tips to help Americans prepare for the terrorist attacks that are expected ANY DAY NOW!
Apparently, (and, to paraphrase Johnny Carson: I did not know this) you should move away from a nuclear blast.
In an effort to be a good citizen, I added some additional text to the original (see orange text above) that should clear up any misunderstandings.
Ready.gov also helpfully informs us that there is less radiation the further you move away from the epicenter of a “dirty bomb” blast. Please, for the love of god, stay as far away from these bomb targets as possible (The only target currently listed on the web site is Austin, TX, but I’m sure that’s just a temporary oversight and more target information will soon be added.). Also, you should minimize time spent frolicking in radiation.
Governor Domoto In A Poppy Garden
I really like this photo, which was taken by Joi Ito. I had to crop the original photo to work in this context; unfortunately, the crop doesn’t look as good as the original, full-sized photo (which you can find here).
The woman in the photo is Chiba Governor Akiko Domoto, one of a rare breed of independent, reformist leaders in Japan. Chiba Prefecture borders Tokyo, and appears to have a relationship to that famous city similar to the one between New York City and New Jersey (at least in terms of popular perception).
I like her pose (and poise), and the camera dangling from her neck. And I like that even though I can’t see her face, I can imagine a smile.
Shibuya Photographer
Shibuya. Moments earlier, this famous intersection was packed with people. A man lay on his back amidst the hordes, his legs kicking wildly in the air — Kafka’s Gregor Samsa channeled through a Japanese photographer. He was photographing… what? The sky? His legs? Bits of pedestrians from below? The lights changed and the horns started honking. As he climbed to his feet, his two assistants rushed out of the intersection. I snapped this shot and ran the other way.
Shima Onsen
It took another 48 hours — all of Saturday and Sunday — to emerge from the haze and misery of the sickness. I spent most of both days in the hotel room in Tokyo. And what a waste of a beautiful, warm weekend it was. At least the view from our room on the 30th floor of the Century Southern Tower Hotel in Shinjuku was fabulous.
On Monday morning, the fever broke and my energy returned, though the cough and sinus blockage remain even now.
Okay. Enough about personal health, or lack thereof.
On Monday, Sam and I traveled to Shima Onsen, a small hot springs resort village in the mountains in Gumma Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. We stayed at a great ryokan (traditional inn). The outdoor baths were beautiful and the food was very good.
Google Loves Blogs
Seven months ago I was a nobody. Now, thanks to some trivial ramblings powered by cool technology and Google’s attitude towards blogs, I’m apparently somebody. And I didn’t even have to send in 99 cents and a coupon from the back of a comic book.
Surprising though it may sound, I’m not the only Mike Gerhardt in the world. In the past, doing an online search on my name found me buried in the back pages, behind the classifieds — if at all. Virginia Law Professor Mike ruled the roost, what with all his comments in mainstream media on political, historical and social issues. But the professor has dropped off the radar these days, perhaps because he continues to talk to the Washington Post rather than starting a blog of his own. Big Wave Surfer Mike is a big name when it comes to Mike Gerhardt search results. And there’s a real estate agent who’s recently clawed his way to the number two spot. But sitting at the top of the pack these days is little ol’ me.
Huh? How did that happen?
It seems Google likes blogs. So now I’m a leading authority on the new Burton iPod jackets, second only to the actual Apple product page. And a search on “chopstick” reveals that only nine other sites have something more enlightening to say on the subject than my chopstick fiasco story. And as icing on the cake, mikemedia is the number one site listed for a search on “Google Live Query” (I had almost nothing original to say about the subject).
Is this good? I can’t help thinking that many of those who arrive at my site via those search results are a little disappointed. “Huh?! Where’s the real Real Sex?” they ask.
Joi Ito recently asked Google co-founder Larry Page about the high ranking of blog contents in Google search results:
Larry said he thought that blogs were getting higher rankings because they were becoming a more important part of the Internet and implied that he felt the high rankings were fair.
Good enough for me. And things always change. Some young punk is bound to try to knock me off my lofty perch at the top of the Mike Gs any day now. In the meantime, I’ll be working to make those search result visitors feel like they’re getting their click’s worth.