feitclub

A reporter came to one of my schools in December to watch a lesson and ask questions of the teachers. Today I discovered the issue in print with my face on the front page. Unfortunately, despite giving this guy a complete spelling of my name in English AND Japanese, the paper still misidentifies me as Daniel “fate” (ダニエルフェイト). So angry right now!

Also weird, the “quote” from me is not a real quote. I said something to that effect (in Japanese, naturally), but he fancied it up a bit. I had to consult a dictionary to read something attributed to me!

Also also weird, I am identified as “an American living in Ikeda.” The homeroom teacher is simply identified by name, not where he lives. I’m not in hiding or anything, but why is my place of residence news here?

That was my first thought when I read this head-scratching article in the Mainichi Daily News. The National Police Agency is quite literally arguing that because so many suspects confess to their crimes, there is no need to change how police interrogations are conducted. Nevermind that the “change” they are resisting is limited to recording said interrogations to prevent improper conduct. You know, stuff like torture.

Also, holy shit at that average interrogation time: 65 hours and 31 minutes?

Another Onion satire presumed to be real

Never underestimate the depths of ignorance. Notice how most of the links go directly to The Onion and not a re-blogger. Why bother redacting names from these images? If you’re so stupid you believe The Onion is a real news source, your identity should be broadcast publicly.

(via stfuconservatives)

Some of you have noticed I’ve been discussing matters of real estate on Facebook/Twitter as of late. It’s true, we’re looking to move out of our increasingly-cramped apartment. What you don’t know is that we’re not just looking to move across town - rather, the plan is to move across the country.

This was not the plan we had in mind when our quest started. Initially we contacted local agencies and visited a few properties in Ikeda, the city across the river from where we live now. Some were nice, some were disappointing, and a few were just empty plots upon which we could build our own house from scratch.

However, the events of March 11th have finally convinced me the time is right to relocate All Things Feit to the heart of the action. We’re trading Kansai for Kanto, West for East, ほんまに for マジっす.

Yes, we’ve moving to Tokyo.

Why Tokyo, and why now? The first question is the easiest to answer: Tokyo is where it’s at. Don’t get me wrong, I adore Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe. This is the area where I really, truly fell in love with Japan - not to mention my wife. But if I’m serious about wanting to become a writer or get involved with the video game industry, I’ve got to face the fact that all the major gaming events take place in Tokyo. That’s true even for the companies that are based in Osaka.

The second question is a little trickier. Maybe I’m being pig-headed, arrogant, or both, but it sickens me how people and firms are abandoning Tokyo (or Japan even) after the tremendous earthquake and tsunami that struck three weeks ago. Power outages make life in a the capital a little less convenient, sure, but there’s little to no real threat of radiation from the damaged Fukushima nuclear reactors.

Presented with an opportunity both to advance my career and make a statement of solidarity with the shaken but stable Tokyo, I’ve decided the time is right to pack our bags. The fact that people are fleeing the area has also lowered prices, offering yet another incentive to take a chance.

Obviously, there are big questions that remain unanswered. Where, exactly, will we live? How will I support Mako & Go? What about my duties with the JET Programme? All of these will be addressed in time. For now, an adventure awaits!

For a Japanese version of this announcement, click here.