Another Booze Taste-Test

The question we are answering in this taste test is: does a ¥105 can of happoushu (synthetic beer-flavored drink) taste noticably better than an ¥88 can?

A Taste-Test Comparison of a Popular Japanese Beer and its Synthetic Analogue

A Taste-Test Comparison of a Popular Japanese Beer and its Synthetic Analogue

McArthur, C. S.

Abstract

In a blind taste-test, a cheaper, beer flavour alcoholic drink was rated better than the real thing. However, this study lacked statistical power, and further research is needed.

PeTA: less shock, more honesty please

I'm angry with PeTA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). I'm angry that they exaggerate for shock value, and that they are undermining the credibility of an important cause.

Living with Radiation

Today I found another deranged note had been pushed under my door. I'm putting this out there in the hope someone can identify the writer and get them the psychiatric help they need. I'd also like to know how they got that photo of my wife....

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Hello Kitty leads the way

I'm often asked whether Japan's safe. [<- Try clicking the links.] The short answer is: no, it's dangerous. If you're caught out in the rain without protection, you can be dead within hours. But it's still a fascinating land of contrasts and there's money to be made, so if you fancy a visit don't let the radiation deter you. Do as the survivors do, and you too can make it through your time in the land of the rising Sieverts without knocking too many years off your life expectancy.

Tip 1: Wear your protective gear when you go out.

Not part of the solution

DISCLAIMER

None of the following is true.  I just found it scrawled on a piece of paper slipped under my door.   I publish it for curiosity's sake, but take my advice and don't believe a word of it.  It's just a long, bad-tempered rant from a deranged individual who has clearly never seen the excellent teaching practice going on in real classrooms.

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To-odo ando Furoggu wento fo-o a rongu wo-oku.

If you can read that sentence, you've been in Japan way too long.

Back Open for Business

It's the summer holidays, and I seem to be doing nothing but write, but it's all on other people's websites!  Debito Arudo, English Language & Usage, Dave Sperling, et al are getting all the benefit of my hard work.  Not to mention dear, sweet, Kirsty, who gets all my juices flowing with such interesting questions.

So henceforth, if I see something I wanna' write about, I'll be sure to blog about it too.  I'll start by posting a few things I've got stashed away somewhere.

TTFN!

Peter

Corporatese Exam

“Our proactive reengineering initiative for training is going to be championed by our best-of-breed service partners, whose experiential…”

One of my students, who works at a multinational company, gets emails like this all the time. She brings them in, I put them on the whiteboard, and we go through them line-by-line, trying to figure out what the hell her boss meant.

Said multinational is paying for the lessons, and they asked me to set an end of year exam. I wanted to make it a test of the English they actually use so, for this student, I based her test on a genuine corporate email that came my way. How would you do?