JALT 2008

The Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) contacted me about advertising their conference at the end of the month (OCT 31). I was happy to do so. It's a great organization and I just wish I could go myself. Please see the picture below for more information or go to their website at http://jalt.org/

Super-speed Internet satellite blasts off in Japan - CNN.com

Super-speed Internet satellite blasts off in Japan - CNN.com Thanks to Dave Cormier who Twittered this a couple minutes ago.

Wiring the world is a pipe dream. If we are ever going to really deliver global broadband, we have to take to the sky. Thankfully, the Japanese see a future in this. Everybody just complains how terrible satellite Internet is, but that is the nature of technology. It will suck until someone can make it better. Even the speeds promised here won't be terrific in a few years, but that is why scientists get grants. Go do some science and figure out how to do it better.

As long as we leave Sprint and Verizon up to promoting technology, we'll continue to stay in the Internet dark ages. Companies look for ways to make money, not how to prove new technologies (they let other countries do that and then implement, leaving us years behind). That's why we need cooperation and support from the government (don't talk to me about subsidies for laying line). This type of cooperation keeps bleeding edge bleeding. The only thing bleeding at American communication companies is our American pride.

Dan

Top Web Apps in Japan

Here's one for you Steve.

Read/Write Web comes through again in its series on top Web apps from countries around the world. This time it's Japan.

This is a great series and it really should be a lesson to all of us (mostly me). We need to contribute to the greater body of knowledge and not just report on what other people are doing.

Japancasting at BlogMatrix

Japancasting at BlogMatrix

I was just pointed to this site by a listserv email. I thought that you all might appreciate it. This a version of a podcast. You'll notice that it looks just like a blog, but there are audio segments attached to each of the postings.

More importantly, the content might interest you as it is somewhat geared towards language professionals.

It also has a major focus on Japanese language and culture, for those of you interested.