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To boldly go where Tom Hanks has not actually been…
https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2026/apr/01/artemis-ii-launch-nasa-orion-moon-trip-live-updates?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other Live up dates of the Artemis II mission to “cislunar space” (it will not actually land on the Moon but will take four astronauts farther away from Earth than anyone else so far).
It Came Out of the Sky, Landed Just a Little North of Houston…
My favorite quote from the woman whose house was targeted by a meteorite: “It looked just like a rock, and ain’t no rocks got no business falling out of the sky.” Um. Yeah. Ain’t no blogger got no business complaining about grammar what don’t make no sense, boy. My favorite thing about the photo of […]
Beware if you gaze into a palentir long…
“A palentir is a dangerous tool, Saruman,” Gandalf said. “We do not know who may be watching.” https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/22/palantir-extends-reach-into-british-state-as-it-gets-access-to-sensitive-fca-data?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
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© Matthew Apple and Taking Leave, 2009-2020. Duplication of this material without express and written permission is strictly prohibited. If you would like to post or copy brief excerpts from the blog, please provide a link to the original URL along with an author’s credit.
Category Archives: Japan
The end is the beginning
Our daughter is now leaving nursery school. From her birth to my wife’s maternity leave to my paternity leave, from building a new house to finishing a doctorate to switching jobs, from one daughter to another (who’s a completely different … Continue reading
Posted in coming of age, education, Japan, Japanese, parenting, school
Tagged ceremonies, child-raising, farewells, friendship, Japan, Japanese, spring
1 Comment
“Dutch backpacks” in Japan
It’s the end of February, and our oldest daughter is nearing the end of her nursery school experience. What a ride it’s been. Now she and her classmates are learning the “goodbye, our nursery school,” song which they will sing … Continue reading
Posted in education, Japan, Japanese culture, Japanese society, parenting, school
Tagged child education, child-raising, Japan, Japanese, Japanese customs
2 Comments
Come out, damned spot!
One aspect of bathrooms in Japan that surprised me at first was the water everywhere around the sink. I mean, everywhere. Not having a habit of waiting for people to wash their hands in public lavatories, I found it a … Continue reading
Posted in Japan, Japanese, Japanese culture, parenting, sickness, Uncategorized
Tagged child care, child-raising, health care, Japan, Japanese, sickness
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