The Monday Read: Late Summer in November

I’m not complaining exactly, but it is still t-shirt and shorts weather here in Sendai. In November.

This is not remotely normal and makes me increasingly anxious about the future.

For now at least it makes walking to work quite pleasant…

Japan Times Article

I endorse this article in the Japan Times 🙂

YouTube

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The Forum

The Forum is doing well (30,729 posts so far). Here are the latest active threads:

This week’s books

Got some new Stephen King books this week, and one about children’s development.

This week’s alcohol

I don’t really drink any more, but my wife got a couple of bottles of this award-winning craft gin from just down the road in Miyagi, and it is wonderful. We’ll definitely be getting it as omiyage for Europe trips (and maybe enjoying a glass or two at home).

This week’s links

  1. This sounds like a really fun trip. Otsukaresama deshita! Reflections on the Role of “Domestique”
  2. Just watching this was exhausting! But it is a wonderful video (YouTube): Running a marathon, one mile every hour
  3. A very pertinent questions for many of us. This is why I invest in the global stock market rather than a single country: How safe are stocks in the long run?
  4. Still no urgency among governments or the public (Japan is to reduce tax on gasoline soon). Bizarre. Climate crisis: carbon emissions budget is now tiny, scientists say
  5. I approve of this judgement (golf club that rejected prospective member for being a naturalised Japanese citizen loses court case): 元外国籍理由に入会拒否、高裁「人種差別」　ゴルフクラブに賠償命令
  6. Will this lead to higher rates and a stronger yen? Ueda-sensei on the move
  7. Not many governments seem to be planning for the worst while hoping for the best: Global heating is accelerating, warns scientist who sounded climate alarm in the 80s
  8. I love this. Might try something similar with Miyakojima… The Arizona Experiment!
  9. Robot taxis can’t come too soon: Mobility refugees
  10. Interesting perspective: This is a Wonderful Market for Dollar Cost Averaging
  11. Morgan Housel’s new book looks good! Wild Minds

What do you think? Anything interesting in there?

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10 Responses

  1. #10 I’d love to get in on the ground floor for an AI bubble. Just need to know what stocks to invest in…

    > “You should hope for volatility, corrections and crashes. They allow you to buy in at lower prices and valuations.”

    I’m always slightly jealous of people that say this. As a monthly iDeCo/NISA investor, I will never have a wad of cash lying around ready to dump in the market when prices are low. Being taught, as we are, that “time in the market is better than timing the market”, it seems perverse to keep money out of the market waiting for such an opportunity.

    1. I think he is referring to someone buying monthly in that article. So the volatility/crashes are not one event, but an ongoing thing.

  2. How does the Keyaki compare to Bombay Sapphire, my gin of choice? And is it available nationwide? If not, you’re just a tease. 🙂

    1. Not familiar with Bombay Sapphire off the top of my head…

      Few shops carry Keyaki, even here, but you can get it on Rakuten online (that’s what I did) 🙂

      1. > Not familiar with Bombay Sapphire off the top of my head…
        Haha. Yeah, sorry, stupid thing to say. As if you’re a walking, talking gin aficionado. If you ever fancy a g&t, though, that’s a good pick at Yamaya. My brother from the UK is always amazed how cheap it is here.

  3. Thanks for the Japan Times link. Non-Japanese aren’t necessarily entitled to seikatsu hogo?! I’m not *planning* to rely on it but still, gives one pause… Maybe naturalisation has more incentive than I thought 🤔

    1. Seikatsu hogo is very much a last resort for anyone. Hard to get and very restrictive. I wouldn’t want to have to resort to that, even after naturalization.

    2. My understanding is that local authorities do not have to provide seikatsu hogo to non-citizens, but can choose to do so.