Ex Cathedra

All Good Things

2007-02-15T09:26:00.000-05:00

The days have flown off the calendar like shingles in a hurricane. My time in Japan is almost at an end and I have much to be thankful for. I've finished my ICRP, so I don't have that hanging over my last full day. I felt like such an amateur writing it, as it was mostly a description of my experiences with the Shiga University Judo Club. Historians don't write descriptions; we analyze and interpret.

But enough of my "professionalism". Today the doctors who took me to judo practice treated me and two other judo students to dinner. We went to a yakiniku (grilled meat) restaurant, where large plates of meat are delivered for your grilling convenience. Basically it is a carnivore's delight and the Japanese have it down to an art, even specializing in an ending course. After the spice and heat of the grilling, not to mention the obligatory kimchi, reimen is served in large bowls. This cold noodle soup, usually having raw egg, cucumbers, tomatoes, and even ice cubes, is just what the doctor ordered.

I cannot begin to recount the great times I've had and the people who I've met. Just last night, we had a party here at JCMU, so a group of us made a Lawson (local convenience store) run. As we left, the impromptu dancing of Dan Choi brought us to the attention of a small group of Japanese. Not that ten loud gaijins can be inconspicuous, but I digress. Dieter started talking to them and within five minutes, they had abandoned their earlier plans and spent the night hanging out and partying with us. This just doesn't happen at K.

The friends that I've made here have made this one of the most memorable experiences of my life. From Dieter and Zach (Remix to JCMU students) to Yasu and Torigai, these people are the reason that I will never forget this place. The guys (and girl) of the Shiga Dai Judo Club gave me so much more than an introduction to judo. Their work ethic, sense of humor, and generosity are just the beginning of their attributes. From working with Yasu on homework to partying through Tokyo with Choi, Stoolman, Thompson and "Dirty" Dieter, I have literally "been there, done that," though I didn't pick up any Engrish t-shirts.

A few news tidbits

2007-01-27T06:07:00.000-05:00

First, sorry to everyone for taking so long to update my blog. I don't have a lot going on right now, but when you have plenty of free time, that's when it seems the hardest to get anything done. Anyways...

Outspoke Catholic Pastor Replaced; He Says It's Retaliation

I found this while browsing the New York Times online edition. Bishop Thomas Gumbleton has been replaced as pastor at St. Leo, in Detroit. Though over 75, the age at which bishops are required to submit their resignation to the pope, Gumbleton had been allowed to remain in his position in the archdiocese.

Though he claims that his removal is due to anger over his stance during the sexual abuse scandals that rocked the Church recently, the archdiocese stated that this had nothing to do with his politics. Gumbleton is known as one of the most liberal bishops in the United States, frequently and loudly calling for a "review" of the Church's position on homosexuality and has been known to support the ordination of women to the priesthood. According to the NYT, Gumbleton wrote a column for the National Catholic Reporter, "an independent Catholic weekly." Right, and the NYT is a non-partisan, middle-of-the-road newspaper.

I usually don't keep a close eye on the doings of the Archdiocese of Detroit, but this seems like some hopeful news. Gumbleton was the longest serving bishop in the United States. Perhaps those who replace him and his ilk will be cut from a different, more orthodox cloth.

Making Stands Against Abortion

Also from the NYT, this small report notes that Adam Cardinal Maida plans to begin a campaign to ban partial birth abortion in Michigan. Along with the other bishops in Michigan and Right to Life, this campaign seeks to get enough signatures to put the issue before voters at the next election. This would bypass Governor Granholm and appears to have a good chance of being passed, if it makes it onto the ballot.

In addition to working to ban this most abominable "procedure," this united effort will serve to educate the masses of Catholic voters who are uninformed of their obligations as Catholics at the polls. Personally, I believe that those Catholics who vote against their faith do so primarily out of ignorance, having been woefully under-educated by their parents, Catholic teachers, and the clergy.

Even after being properly informed, many will likely still choose to vote for pro-abortion candidates or advocate euthanasia. But they no longer can claim ignorance and the scandal that they give to others will hopefully be diminished, as faithful Catholics turn away from their examples.

U.S. Will Confront Iran in Iraq, Bush Says

Finally. I wonder if the American soldiers who were ordered to "catch and release" these Iranian covert agents felt like their predecessors in Vietnam, unable to effectively deal with the North Vietnamese just across the border in Cambodia and Laos. Now American forces will be able to more freely attack, detain, and hold Iranians caught inside Iraq and will hopefully be supported in cutting off the supplies of weapons and trainers coming across the border.

The Iranians have been seeking to build up their power throughout the Middle East ever since the '79 revolution. Through Hezbollah they seek to attack Israel and increase their control over Lebanon, or at the very least, keep Western nations from getting too comfortable there. Through their missile programs, Iran has gained the ability to hit targets far beyond Tel Aviv and can now potentially threat Europe. As for their nuclear enrichment, it would take a great deal of willful blindness (or treason) to claim that said program posed no risk to the region, Iran's neighbors, or global interests.

It is not helpful that no one in Washington will admit that Iran is waging a low-level war against the United States. They fund, supply, and train many of the Shia militias that make life dangerous for American soldiers fighting to secure Iraq. The thousands of missiles that Hezbollah poured into Israel were made in Iran (or Syria, but that is another matter.) They have been seeking to exert influence in Afghanistan to combat American interests and soldiers in that war-torn land.

What is hopeful is that the Bush administration is finally acting like Iran is at war with us. While still publicly clinging to the "diplomacy can/is working" slogans, efforts are being stepped up to push back. This change in policy towards captured Iranian agents is one example. The recent deployment of Patriot anti-ballistic missile systems to the Gulf and the dispatch of another carrier task force are others. Now sanctions need to be placed on Iran's military, who is still doing a brisk business with the Russians, among others. While comprehensive sanctions, like the ones imposed after the Gulf War on Saddam, are more likely to harm innocent civilians than solve anything, the United States should think about enforcing an arms embargo on Iran. While they will howl, Russia and China have shown that they are not interested in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. To continue to believe that they will help us is folly and thus we should move, along with those nations who do support us, to weaken Iran's strategic hand and deprive it of the ability to create a nasty situation in an already dangerous area of the world.

It's like cleaning, but messier

2006-12-19T23:42:00.000-05:00

It doesn’t matter how often I try to write here, something else keeps coming up. Yesterday I had almost finished a post, links and all, when the computer I was using decided to restart. Makes me miss my (whoa, four “m” words in a row) computer. At least I know that mine has a sort of schedule for overheating and shutting down.

Anyways, since I failed yesterday in getting another post out, I’m trying again today. If I don’t keep it up, eventually I’ll have too many great possibilities for posts floating around in my head and I won’t be able to keep them separate. That’s the problem with meeting interesting people, exploring the hidden places next door, and generally enjoying yourself.

Two weekends ago, I found myself with a few hours with nothing planned. For once, I didn’t have to study for my final exam, compile the nonsense of my group members into a comprehensible presentation, or spend hours trying to decipher the characters of a language that looks like it was made by chickens that had gotten into the mash. The day was clear, with not a cloud in the sky and just a hint of breeze floating over the ripples on Lake Biwa. I just knew I had to do something outside. It would have been a shame, a blot on my time in Japan if I didn’t use that afternoon to good effect.

While walking along the concrete lined shore of the lake, an idea slowly grew on me. Ever since I had seen JCMU, the large hills across the road just begged to be scaled. Covered in pine, bamboo, and a smattering of deciduous trees, they offered a pleasant contrast to the pavement, neon, and rice paddies that are the usual fare of wanderers in Japan. I followed the sidewalk to the main road that runs from Kyoto through Shiga, eventually coming to a place where it brushed up against the tree covered hill. Dashing across, as no crosswalks (who needs them?) were within a decent distance, I planned to start circling the hill, looking for any sign of a trail.

Not more than twenty feet from where I crossed, I found what I believed to be a gravestone. Tucked into a small clearing on the hillside, this Buddhist style monument stood next to the start of a bamboo grove. After searching the area, I found a wide trail that wound around a series of ridges on the hill. Cutting back and forth, the path slowly climbed the northern most hill of the range. For five minutes I climbed, finding some stones and logs that had been laid to create steps to aid those seeking the top. Turning a corner, I came upon a small clearing, with a single Shinto column standing along the edge, as if warning the traveler not to step off the cliff behind it. Just up a short flight of stairs, a long promenade flanked by columns and stone lanterns. Between the concrete and stone, the ground was blanketed by a colorful assortment of leaves, with the evergreens standing behind all of it as if shielding the site from the elements.

Passing through these, I found myself in the midst of a Shinto shrine complex. Small outbuildings holding the tools of the groundskeeper were situated next to buildings with thatched roofs and carved wooden frames. Where the small plateau ended and the hill resumed its climb, three small offering shrines stood in a row, as if ready to serve a multitude of pilgrims that were not there. Behind the largest of the buildings there stood a massive rock formation, jutting out of the hill. It looked like a broken bone, jutting out of the dirt skin and tissue. Around it was tied a fraying rope, hung with tattered prayer cloths, to match a similar rock formation down on the beach, perhaps a couple hundred feet down. These twin protrusions appeared to have been the inspiration for the shrine, bringing the superstitious ancient lake dwellers here to worship the supposed Kami within the water and rock.

When I had finished exploring collection of buildings, statues, and flights of stairs to nowhere, I continued my climb. A single concrete “Tori” gate marked the next trail upwards, which I followed for about fifteen minutes. Several times the trail appeared to split, only to disappear after a few dozen feet, leaving me to return to the main trail. Each time the trail rose, the steps became fewer and narrower. Someone had constructed a makeshift walking stick stand, with several cut branches resting there. Taking one, more out of whimsy than need, I embarked up the steepest climb yet. Grabbing for branches, stumps, and buried rocks, I dirtied my clothes and covered my shoes in muddied leaves.

When I reached the top, which proved to be the top of the first hill, I found a clearing centered on a single offering shrine. The groundskeeper of the complex must have selectively cut the brush and trees here, as several beautiful views of Hikone, Maibara, and Lake Biwa were visible from the clearing. After enjoying the sun, views, and the chirping of numerous birds, I sought for other trails. It took ten minutes of searching and a few smacks to the face by low branches, but another trail soon took me deeper into the forest atop these hills.

From there on out, I came across no more shrines or stone columns. Save for the stumps of saplings cut down on the trail and a few red ribbons tied around tree trunks, I saw only one other man-made object till I descended. The trail became rougher, with more undergrowth below and hanging vines above and my pace slowed. Again and again the trail split, except this time the paths I chose did not end. Whether good fortune kept me on the main trail or each path wormed its way through the trees and brush I do not know.

After a good half hour of climbing and descending a few smaller hills, I struggled up a path that appeared to climb straight upwards at more than 45 degrees. Here I found the walking stick extremely helpful, though more as a brace between saplings. After slipping and falling more than a few times, I found a clutter of fallen logs and old stumps as my reward at the summit. Around, under, and through the logs had grown numerous bushes, fungi, and one very out of place black cable. Taut, as if securely attached at both ends, this cable ran up one side of the summit and down the other, though obscured often by leaves and branches. Even here, the conveniences of modern living pass through nature. I really should not have been surprised. Even across the tops of the high mountains behind Hikone run electrical wires, with the steel towers soaring above the trees and snow.

A few hills on, I found myself staring down the longest and steepest decline of the whole range. Running for more than fifty yards, covered in slick leaves and mud, the path here fell so quickly that only a barely controlled fall allowed me to continue on. Grasping at trees and digging in both walking stick and feet, I manage to avoid sliding for more of the way, though the last ten feet saw my coat and pants dirtied considerably. It was the most fun I had the entire time. I felt like I was seven years old again, not caring if Mom scolded me when I got back for ripping my jeans and ordering me off to the bathroom to clean up for dinner. I was back in Michigan, running down the wooded hills towards the swamps and marshes at the edge of the Black River, ready to jump from log to log, searching for just the right location to build the next in my ever expanding system of forts and watch towers.

After dusting myself, (though how one can “dust” off mud is unknown to me) I picked up the trail and plunged into the largest bamboo grove I have ever seen. Bamboo is fascinating to me, as it is so completely unlike any other forest growth. Deciduous trees block quite a bit of sunlight with their leaves, but under the canopy there remains a bit of free air, which gives the forest an open sort of feel. Bamboo, though it grows straight with its only few leaves at the very top, creates a very different atmosphere. The straight and hollow trunks shoot upwards, as if erupting from the ground and bunch together so that sometime even walking amongst them is difficult. Bumping into one rattles its neighbors, bringing forth a racket of echoes and clacks. One’s visibility is also cut off, as even at noon, on a clear bright day, the bamboo shrouds the distance in shadows. With the occasional massive spider web between stalks, it is small wonder that these patches of bamboo, which fail as the hills rise, can evoke a mysterious and almost haunting atmosphere.

After wandering in the trackless bamboo for about half and hour, I finally gave up on finding the proper trail exit and struck off in the direction of the nearest canal. Though I could manage quite easily through the larger bamboo, as the edge of the forest drew nearer, the young shoots formed a dense and deep hedge. After smashing down a few and creating quite a racket, upsetting numerous birds in the process, I finally emerged from the woods into an uncultivated field, a rarity in Japan. I soon found a gravel back road and followed it around the hills towards Lake Biwa and Hikone. Having set off just after noon, I arrived back at JCMU around three.

I’m not going to draw life lessons or ponder philosophical questions using this story as a pallet. I’ve spent enough time on it by now. But I hope I have given you a vivid picture of that day, with enough imagery and guidance to allow you to formulate your own thoughts of my experiences.

Almost there...

2006-12-08T06:40:00.000-05:00

I have come to realize that I have a problem with my blog. I approach my posts with the same methods and tools that I would use to draft an academic paper. First, I identify what exactly I am going to write about, which in my mind means I almost have the paper written in my head. Unlike a report or assigned research paper, I have no clearly defined goals for each post. Thus I have nothing to focus my thoughts and I end up staring at my brainstorming notes, having accomplished nothing.

The unfortunate effect of all of this is that you fine people, my readers, end up with nothing new. While school has been getting progressively busier, I still could make time to post if I could get a good idea or two. That brings up another point. While I have heard some requests or encouragements from some that I should comment more on current events or politics, the fact of the matter is that this voice afforded by my blog is insignificant. My own insights, never likely to be profound or revealing, are more likely to simple parrot what others have already said, thus passing off junk as pearls of wisdom. If I really have something different, interesting, or otherwise worth of note, I'll write it, but this is not a running commentary on matters political.

On a brighter note, classes here at JCMU have almost finished. Our politics course, sad excuse for credits that it is, will have its last session next Wednesday. The Japanese Economics and Business class, held at Shiga University, is over. I can't say that I'll miss having a new professor every week, but it wasn't a total waste. As for my Japanese classes, I cannot begin to describe how much they have improved my language skills. Today I managed to memorize and deliver a six minute presentation on my experiences at the Shiga Daigaku Judo Club. While to a Japanese person it would have sounded like a 3rd (more likely a 2nd) grade speech, the fact that I can sometimes accurately express what I want to say is rather remarkable, given the difficulty of this language.

Next week is our final exam (kimatsu shiken) and it covers three days. Monday is our reading and interview portion, where we are required to read out loud selected pieces and then orally answer questions about them. Tuesday is our listening test, where the students fill in paragraphs read by the teachers, as well as using descriptions given of scenes to draw diagrams and pictures. Wednesday is a study day, as Thursday holds our three hour written test. To call these tests hard is the type of understatement that only Japanese seem capable of. Imagine trying to supply every particle and half of the verbs to a story, and then answering questions about said story. Or taking a half a dozen words and formulating responses using various conjugational forms of those words to complete dialogues that don't make any sense what translated into English. In other words, it makes for a "fun" time.

But after that, I am done. I have all of Christmas (not winter) break to travel and make plans for next semester. I hope to get to Tokyo at least once, though that is likely the only trip of that length I will be able to afford. Another possibility is Hiroshima, which has, in addition to the almost mandatory Peace Park, a beautiful bay and nearby islands.

Next semester will be an interesting one, to say the least. All I am required to do is continue going to Judo practice. As the topic of my ICRP (Integrated Cultural Research Project, a load of bureaucraticese if I ever heard any), I must log my time spent practicing and interacting with the members of the club. Other than that, I have nothing required of me. So, I am currently looking for ways to fill my otherwise empty days. I plan to greatly increase the amount of physical activity I do, probably through a combination of jogging and weight training. While it is hard to practice Judo alone and outside of the gym (padded floors really help), activities that increase my endurance and strength, especially upper body, will be useful for improving my performance.

That's all for now, though I do have some stories I wish to share, concerning Judo and other matters. When I get more time and have organized my thoughts to a degree of my liking, I will treat you all to my match against Takaki and some reflections on the "quality" of non-Japanese language education here. Until then, ja mata (see you later).

Judo Picture Album and Video

2006-11-18T00:06:00.000-05:00

I have finally gotten around to uploading and writing captions for all of my Judo pictures. Additionally, I have uploaded a short (a minute and a half) video of one of the matches from the tournament that was held at Shiga Daigaku (Shiga University). You can find the album link with all the other ones in the sidebar. The video's link is there as well. I hope this gives a better picture of what Judo is to all of you back at home.

A Winding Trail, But It Gets There In The End

2006-10-23T09:14:00.000-04:00

Given the propensity of many in the "liberal" crowd (I hate to use such a cliche term, but I have neither the time nor the inclination to develop and promulgate a better one) for blaming and hating both themselves and the countries that give them the rights, opportunities, and soapboxes for their rants, it is a wonder that they have not shown more signs of disappearing. Once you've digested that sentence, I have more.
Consider, for instance, the talk about "sustainability," another word that appears to have checked its meaning at the door of public discourse. Its self-proclaimed advocates argue that human beings are destroying their environment, whether through global warming, urban sprawl, or whatever eco-cause has their attention that day. While I am not summarily dismissing their points on these topics, from the way they lecture, one would get the impression that the Earth was about to implode from the irresponsible actions of man. Normally, these actions are the result of 1) people in poor (not undeveloped) countries trying to improve their miserable lot, or 2) people not artifically destroying, diverting, or otherwise corrupting the natural desire to procreate. Imagine that; some people actually want to see their children grow up, not prevented from being conceived by condoms or killed by abortifacients or outright medical murder.
Case in point: the doom and gloom predicted in some corners stemming from the American population topping 300 million recently. Now, obviously, someone was bound to dig up old circa. 1960 arguments about overpopulation, but in a world where increasingly the threats are shrinking and aging populations, it would seem that some would realize the need for natural, healthy, productive families.
Thankfully, some in the media have, though obviously they have only stumbled upon the symptoms of the problem, not the root. I have to give due credit to both Mark Steyn of the Chicago Sun-Times and the standardly excellent work by the Economist magazine's staff. Both articles drive at the same point: that the birth of more human beings is a far better thing than its opposite.
The causes of these unprecedented human disasters is well understood by the Catholic Church. When you combine selfish materialism with chemically provided tools for evil (condoms, contraception, injection abortion) and introduce it into one of the most sensitive and sacred parts of human life, you are creating a recipe for trouble. Europe has been experiencing it, though there are few signs they understand the trouble they have got themselves into. Most countries on the Continent now have shrinking populations, but with growing Islamic immigrant groups. So now the apparently enlightened and tolerant European welfare states must now deal with their future as Islamic nations, where Sharia law, burkas, and dhimmi are the standard. While they struggle with how to keep themselves "tolerant" (another incredibly misunderstood word), they have failed to grasp that they would not be in this position if they had not drastically culled their future workforces through abortion and contraception.
Some Americans are finally waking up to the concept, as evidenced here through a New York Times Magazine article from May, 2006. I can only hope, pray, and work that this important lesson in human sinfulness and vanity will not be lost.

A Couple Surprises

2006-10-21T06:25:00.000-04:00

Things are rolling along quite well here at the JCMU (Japan Center for Michigan Universities). The weeks are just zipping past us, so much so that I have been in Japan for almost two months now. It really is hard to believe, especially when I think about how fast the next four will go. Before I can turn around and sneeze, it will be Feb. 17 and I'll be on a plane back to "the world." But enough of that, you want to know what has been going on here in Nihon (Japan).

This week the combined punishment of Judo, class, and life finally caught up with me. During Monday's practice I began to feel a general achiness in my limbs. First I just shrugged it off as soreness from free sparring (randori), which I had just started that day. But as the session came to an end, a fit of coughing came on. I knew exactly what had happened then.
Ever since I first caught serious bronchitis I have tended to get a mild form of bronchial coughing whenever I have become run down and ripe for infection. Usually it is combined with some kind of flu, so I get really feverish at night and lack energy for about two or three days. So as the Judo club filtered into the weight room to lift and climb the exercise ropes, I had a pretty good idea of what I was in for later. I explained to the captain of the team what was happening, albeit in quite broken Japanese, and he excused me from conditioning the next day and from practice until I felt better. I proceeded to sleep for ten hours that night, periodically waking up in feverish fit.
Even though I was coughing badly and it took me at least twice as long to get ready in the morning, I went to class on Tuesday and Wednesday. Not that I'm particularly diligent student, but I did not feel like using up the grand total of 12 hours of absences we are allowed to accumulate before failing. That comes to four full days of Japanese classes. Additionally, students here are unable to make up quizzes and participate points, unless a doctor's note is turned in. That isn't too appealling since an visit to said doctor will cost at least $100. Enough said.
I was well enough on Friday to go to practice again and I managed to surprise even myself. Though I am still consistently outclassed in 'tachiwaza' (standing techniques), I actually managed to pin another club member in 'newaza' (ground techniques). On top of that, it was a 'sempai', one of the elder members of the group. While I have my suspicions that he was holding back a lot of his skill, I do believe that I did surprise him with both my agility and strength while in an inferior position. Maybe next Monday he'll return the favor by just throughly outclassing me from the starting bell. But in any event, I am definitely learning more from the free sparring than I was before.
On top of that, I am also starting to be more able to communicate with all of the members. Only one or two speak more than a few words of English, so I get plenty of practice listening to their conversations before, during, and after normal practice. For instance, I was sitting in the club room after Friday's session, and the subject of conversation shifted to video games. Now, naturally, I couldn't understand more than a fourth of what they were saying, so a rather confused look appeared on my face when I started hearing what I thought were video game names. Onda, one of the sempai, noticed this and started trying to explain what they were speaking about. When I finally picked up on the topic of conversation, they asked me what kind of games I played. I was quite proud that I managed to explain that I enjoyed World of Warcraft and why exactly I did. Each conversation seems to be getting longer and more indepth, instead of just the basic courtesy questions and background information. Who knows, after another four months I might be able to go a whole day without needing to use English.

Another sign of this was last Sunday's Mass. The Japanese Mass was a children's one, with tons of kids milling about the small church and driving their parents nuts. Along with simpler songs (which I was able to sing along to), the priest directed his homily towards the kids, so it was full of simpler grammar and vocabulary. This, needless to say, was quite a relief for me, as I managed to grasp about half of what he was saying, both through actual translation and context clues from the readings. The Mass used some different prayers, so I was unable to use the standard Romanji (Latinized Japanese pronunciation) and had to read from the normal Missal. Apart from a few Kanji (Chinese style characters), I was able to read all of it and could follow along and respond faster than using the Romanji.
I also saw one of my professors at Mass, Nakano-sensei, who teaches my Japanese Economics and Business Class. I had forgotten it until then, but on the first day of class he had mentioned that his wife had seen me at Mass. I got a certain amount of happiness out of seeing my professor try to control his three kids, as Japanese children are not nearly as well behaved as everyone seems to think. In fact, they are often given near-free rein until junior high school, when studying for high school entrance exams becomes quite severe.

I think I've gone on for long enough, so I'll leave you with this for now. I'll try to make sure that blog updates are a regular thing, so no one is left wondering about how I am fairing here, half way across the world from home. Oh, don't forget, you can leave comments using the links at the bottom of each post. You can leave them anonymously (you have to if you don't have a Blogger account) but you can still attach your name if you want. I'd love to hear what you think of my stories and experiences, or you can ask questions about different aspects of Japan you find interesting. Remember, this blog is for keeping all of us in contact, though there are oceans in between.

Pain, Fatigue, and Fun!

2006-10-15T02:57:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since I've written anything substantial about my time here in Japan, so I thought I should take you all out of suspense. I've been quite busy these past few weeks, with this past one being especially busy. All of my classes are finally in full swing, with three hours a day of Japanese language classes, four hours a week of Japanese Economics and Business, plus three a week of Japanese Politics. The classes here seem to be the polar opposite of Kalamazoo's workload and difficulty. Japanese is hard, but the others are rather easy.

Last Monday the Japanese Politics and Culture class took a trip to Shigaraki, one of the more famous pottery production centers in Japan. While I can't figure out how that had anything to do with politics, these off-topic field trips do allow me to see more of Japan as well as cut down on the total hours spent in the Politics class. Unfortunately, this class seems to be taught at a community college level, with quite a few tangents and redundant information being gone over in class. At least it is only three hours a week.

But what has really been wearing me out and chewing up my schedule has been Judo practice. Last Friday, the Shiga Daigaku (University) Judo Club came to JCMU to demonstrate some basic Judo techniques and teach us a little about the history of Judo. While we didn't get much more than a few promotional matches and demonstrations, I did find out the practice schedule of the club. The next day, at 10am, I started practicing with them at Shiga Daigaku.
Let's just say that practice was an eyeopener, as well as an instruction in fatigue. For three hours I did warm-up exercises (which include walking on your hands and flipping backwards across the gym), learned how to fall correctly, and did some weight training afterwards. Learning to fall safely is one of the most important things to do when starting Judo. Since Judo relies on many throws and flips, falling safely is very, very necessary. After doing forward rolling falls, backwards, and sideways falls, I was bruised over most of my back, shoulders, and hips. I barely got to do any other techniques that day other than the various falls (which are called "ukemi").
The club meets on every day except Sunday and Wednesday, with most practices running about two and a half hours, with Saturday practice usually lasting about three hours. Once a week we devote half of the session to conditioning, which consists of running laps around the university, running sprints afterwards, then playing soccer or lifting in the weight room. I was barely able to ride my bike the 5 kilometers or so back to JCMU after all of that.
While most of my tatami (Japanese style floor mats) burns have healed and my soreness is becoming routine, I still have a long way to go in Judo. Thankfully, I have over four months left to practice both Judo and Japanese with these club members, who have been nothing but helpful and patient with my lack of skill in both areas. The next testing date for belt levels is November 25, so if I manage to perfect 'ukemi' (the falls) and learn correctly the first eight 'waza' (techniques), then I might be able to qualify for the next level. While I certainly intend to try to achieve at least one level advancement before I leave, there are Japanese students who have been white belts for over six months. In any event, I have a lot of work ahead of me.

On a similar note, I have decided what to do my Integrated Cultural Research Project (ICRP) on. Kalamazoo College requires students on certain study abroad programs to conduct these projects, which are often similar to internships with an accompanying research paper. After talking to the resident internship coordinator, I will be combining Judo practice with my observations and research about both this particular club and the history of the martial art. This has the possibility of becoming quite a paper, since it will cover everything from the history of the art, its philosophy and techniques, as well as the internal group dynamics of Japanese college sports clubs in general. I certainly have my work cut out for me.

What Now?

2006-10-11T07:42:00.000-04:00

So apparently the North Koreans have detonated a nuclear device underground. There is some confusion over whether or not it is, as the actual detonation is was rather small by nuclear standards and there is, so far, a lack of radioactive material being detected by "sniffer" planes charged with patroling these areas. But even if this was a dud, or just a test of the implosion device for the bomb, it underscores the failure of continued American policy toward hostile states intent on enter the nuclear club.
We entered into nuclear negotiations with the North Koreans, promising and delivering nuclear reactors and enrichment equipment to them in exchange for promises not to to develop weapons or to export missile technology. Mistake number one: giving concrete rewards for abstract and easily voidable assurances. Anyone who has had to deal with a playground bully knows that to appease him with your lunch money only serves to whet his appetite for more, without providing reliable insurance.
After the United States caught the North Koreans at their game of sneaking development and enrichment behind our backs, they simply admitted it and walked away from the IAEA inspections and control regimes. Our moral outrage at being hoodwinked was only exceeded by our impotence; no other country in the region would support strong action and our invasion of Iraq tied down any major threat to North Korean security. So it makes perfect sense that Pyongyang would make hay while the sun shines.
So now we have a possible confirmation of a nuclear armed North Korea. What do we do now? From where I sit, we have a spectrum of choices, ranging from some form of military action on the one hand, to inaction on the other. Military options are extremely limited for several reasons. One, the United States does not have the manpower to inflict a swift and decisive victory over the North Korean army. Even with the South Koreans, who are extremely unwilling to attack their northern brothers, the fighting would be long, hard, and decidedly bloody. A more limited attack, say via land and carrier based aircraft on possible development sites and storage facilities, would only serve to highlight our inability to effectively neutralize such small and dangerous targets. Additionally, it would invite retalitation against Japan and South Korea, both of whom are vulnerable to artillery and/or missile attacks.
Right now the most feasible option appears to be increased sanctions and a strictly enforced blockade of all shipping to or from North Korea. While the North is effectively cut off from the world except for its southern neighbor and China, the threat of a nuclear armed North Korea seems to have shifted both countries towards a firmer policy. China, with the right inducements and pressure from Washington, may be inclined to cut off fuel and other shipments to Pyongyang and tighten border security. If that happens, the effects upon the leadership and people of that nation will be terrible, so we would have to steel ourselves to desparate bluffs or foolhardy moves that they might make. In any event, things are likely to get worse, possibly much worse, before any improvements are made.

Finally, the Photos!

2006-10-08T08:35:00.000-04:00

I finally got a chance to use my roommate's computer (thank you Kevin!) and was able to, with two hours of editing and labeling, get all my photos posted. You can access them through the links to the right here. I more than doubled the total number of pictures I've taken with my two trips/tours.
I have pictures from Hikonejo (Hikone Castle), Josh Stoolman's/Sugimoto's joint birthday party, and my trip to Kyoto with Kevin and Sandra Dilley. Additionally I added a few new photos to other albums too. Here are the ones that have at least one new photo:

Place, People, and Things of JCMU
Nightlife in Japan
Cultural Type Stuff
Hikone Castle Tour
Kyoto Trip

In the older albums, the new photos come at the end, so if you've seen the rest, just skip to the new ones. Thanks for being so patient with me everyone. I hope you enjoy them.

Trips, Tours, and Tests

2006-10-03T05:14:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted about my stay in Japan, and I've been hearing things from the peanut gallery, so I found some free time and finally did it.

First, I have quite a few photos from two trips that I've taken recently. I probably have around 120, so it will take a while for me to put them all up, title, and label them all. Sorry, but you'll have to wait longer. Additionally, I've finally gotten some pictures of myself in with all the rest. I normally do not like to have pictures taken, so pictures of me are usually taken by someone else. If they are kind enough, I can get them from them, but normally not.

Anyways, last Monday, I went to Hikone Castle, which you may or may not have known. Anyways, the castle is one of the few original castles still standing in Japan. The Japanese Politics class went together on the tour, though I really could have done without the tour guide. Her English wasn't bad, but I could have figured out most of what she was talking about on my own or with the help of a decent history book.

The other trip I took last weekend, with my roommate Kevin Bobrowski and a friend and classmate, Sandra Dilly. We left early Saturday morning and took the train to Kyoto, spending about 10 hours in the old imperial city. We walked around, visited several temples, including Higashi Honganji (the home temple of the Pure Land sect of Buddhism) and Kinkakuji, a temple which has its second and third stories covered in gold. Naturally, you can't get near or inside of it, but it looks really cool surrounded by a lake and trees. Eventually I'll have those pictures up as well.
As well as the temples, we visited Nijo Jo, which is just fun to say, as well as being the Shogun's residence while he was in Kyoto. The walls are about 30 feet thick at the base, made of massive stones, though it never saw any sieges. Inside of the castle is the palace residence of the shoguns, complete with a special squeaky floor to warn of intruders and beautifully painted rice paper walls and doors. Unfortunately, due to conservation reasons, I couldn't take any pictures inside.
While the temples, castles, and other tourist magnets (and Kyoto has no lack of those) are fun and interesting to see, probably the best part was stumbling around in a foreign country, practicing my Japanese and generally not knowing what was going on. Buying train and bus tickets is relatively easy, but inquiring the flavor of a certain type of pastry or discussing the history of a building in Japanese is a mite difficult.

Classes have been alright so far, though I'm not doing nearly as well as I would like to be. On tests I'm usually lucky to get an 85%, though I spend hours studying the night before. On the bright side, I'm doing relatively well in class participation, slowly but surely improving my Japanese conversation skills. As long as I can regularly use grammar and vocabulary from class, I can reasonably be expected to use it when I venture out into the big, wide, Japanese speaking world here.

This Friday, after the chapter test in class, members of the Shiga University judo club will be coming to demonstrate some basic techniques and provide an opportunity for those interested in joining them. Since I've started taking my Japanese Economics class at Shiga University, I've been exploring the campus and have discovered the gym (it's in the quasi-basement of one building), though I haven't actually found any judo members there yet. Though I've never taken a martial art in my life, I hope they will be willing to accept a beginner who speaks in very broken Japanese.

Other than that, not a whole lot is going on around here. Again, I'll try my best to edit, label, and upload all my photos from Kyoto and Hikone Castle, but no promises on when that will happen. If you have any questions about Japan or what I'm doing here, feel free to send me an email.

New Links

2006-09-24T07:44:00.000-04:00

I've added a new link to my 'News and Information' section. JihadWatch.com is run by Robert Spencer, a Catholic who is an expert on the Koran and numerous other aspects of Islamic teaching. If you want a good, frank assessment of "radical Islam", then it behooves you take a look at his website and consider his books for readable, useful information regarding the history and current state of Islam and jihad.

I've also added two new photo albums to my links, as well as updating another. 'Nightlife in Japan' has new photos, and I've created 'Hikone and Maibara Bike Ride' and 'Cultural Type Stuff'. I hope everyone enjoys them.

Photo Update

2006-09-22T23:13:00.000-04:00

I've finally got around to adding titles and descriptions of my photos from Japan. If you follow the links I've put up on this blog, you can find them. Sorry it took so long. I've been taking more photos, but I'm going to wait till I have enough to warrant taking the time to put them up.

Photo Albums

2006-09-17T03:02:00.000-04:00

Places, People, and Things of JCMU.

Nightlife in Japan.

Here are links to my photo albums of Japan. Naturally they are not finished, nor are they likely to be the last. I hope everyone enjoys them.

Back Again

2006-09-16T07:45:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the blog wipe everyone. I was having some problems with the old layout and data, so here is the new 'Ex Cathedra'. Additionally, this gives me the chance to start over, to better plan my posts, and add some more polish to the overall quality of the blog. I've also started an account at DotPhoto, so you will be able to easily access my photo albums and I won't have to clutter up my blog with hundreds of pictures, especially the ones from Japan.

I hope you like the new layout and enjoy my thoughts on my travels, politics (international and domestic), religion, and whatever else happens to interest me. Thanks!