online Japanese language learning

via Senseionline 18 June 2010:
 
...for people who would like to learn Japanese and aren't conveniently located by an institution or
a friend that will teach it to them, this might be just the information they were looking for:

*UAB NihongoCast,* http://www.uab.edu/foreignlang/nihongocast/, the online version of Japanese
101 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a joint production of the UAB Departments of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Communication Studies, and Theatre, taught by Tim Cook of Georgia Public Broadcasting's *Irasshai.*

Lake Biwa & Museum

"Learning innovative measures from the regions"

Water is the source of all life. One sixth of Shiga Prefecture, which I visited last weekend, is taken up by Japan's largest lake, Lake Biwa. Lake Biwa supports the lives of 14 million people living in the Kinki region.

Japan faced pollution problems during the 1960s and the 1970s, which the government established various regulations to counter. In addition to these regulations, Shiga Prefecture advanced its own measures, such as establishing an ordinance on sewage standards that are stricter than the national standards.

At the Lake Biwa Museum which I visited, Governor Yukiko Kada of Shiga Prefecture, who was once a senior researcher of the museum, showed me an exhibition of a private residence from around the mid-1950s and explained how people dealt with water in their daily lives at that time.
FULL STORY

art exchange - 14th annual for St. Johns & Konan

Opening scene of artwork hung on banners, then video clips of the performance:
Music by East Olive Elementary 3rd & 4th graders under the direction of Ms. Ries.


Panorama views of the exhibit of artworks from elementary and middle schools
(see also http://art-sjkonan.wikispaces.com/)

some Shiga headlines lately - early 2010

Shiga at the Olympics - Shiga will be well represented at the Vancouver Olympics. Miki ITO, from Hino-cho, is on the Moguls Team. Rana OKADA, from Otsu, is on the Snowboarding Team. Shuhei NARITA, who is originally from Aomori but now works from Eins in Omihachiman, is a coach for the Nordic Combined Team. Look for Miss Ito and Miss Okada during their respective events!

--News Stories (adapted and edited from News on Shiga)--
Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. donated 100 million yen to Shiga Prefecture for Renovation of the Uminoko
…went into service in 1983. There are 420 thousand students who have ridden on the ship in total.

Shiga's image around Japan not good according to a marketing research survey
…most people in Greater Tokyo have no impression about Shiga. 30% of them negatively think it is quiet and obscure.

--Other News Stories (copied directly and unedited from News on Shiga)--

The population of Shiga's international residents has dropped

Shiga's labor market was worst ever in 2009

Budget cuts at Shiga Univ. and Medical School

Otsu joins the Mayors for Peace
Otsu joined the Mayors for Peace, a conference that consists of cities advocating the abolishment of nuclear weapons. Otsu is Shiga's 12th city taking part in the conference.

Shiga Environmental Business Exhibition came to an end with great success


City Merger -New Nagahama-city adds 6 towns: Torahime, Kohoku, Takatsuki, Kinomoto, Yogo, Nishiazai.

Shiga Election for Govenor will be in July with Gov. Kada running for re-election [Japan’s 5th woman gov’r elected]