Entries this day: AM Work marble_track rei_is_famous!

AM

1:54pm JST Thursday 14 December 2006 (day 13413)

Work starts in 26 minutes; I made the 53 train, though I was pretty sure I would miss it until I saw I had over 60 seconds to get from the entrance of the station, through the gaes, and down two levels to the platform.

A bit of difficulty getting up this morning, but was successful in the end. But even then, I just watched The Daily Show and a couple other clips (including Pinky and the Brain), plus the funny video that Matt sent me. (I don't have the link ... oh wait, I do!! FF with its unclose tab list = Snap!!) One Man Star Wars

I didn't make time to send Petra's transformer; I'm at a bit of a snarf after she was like, "oh, and can you send me an いご board?" and I'm like, should I save on shipping and send them together?

Tonight, Stephen, a warrior from north central US (Chicago?) is coming to crash on our couch for some weeks.

Work

8:35pm JST Thursday 14 December 2006 (day 13413)

Puske's mom came 20 minutes late for a 40 minute lesson, which means the lesson is cancelled, by our policy. But I like her well enough (and happened to see her on my way out of the building for a snack), had 80 minutes worth of break scheduled after her lesson, (and had just had a 20 minute break,) so I had a full lesson with her, leaving 60 minutes of break.

Akiko is now 38 minutes late for her 80 minute lesson. Looks like a no-show. She's usually quite careful about calling if she intends to come (but is late).

marble track

8:38pm JST Thursday 14 December 2006 (day 13413)

Really happy about my marble track; have just put into place an even more difficultly squished-in line in the center of the track This one is for big marbles, and it uses one rail from the already squished-in small marble track with a net on the end, but uses it in the opposite direction of rollage.

It might not work well enough to (pass the high standards of quality, *cough*, and) not require a slight modification to the small track's toothpick rail, but once it's fully dry I'll be testing it quite a bit.

Gotta add a few catchers on the turns, but, I'm hella pleased that it already works this well (on first glueage, with limited bracing).

Oh! And, I am now pretty sure I've got two tracks that will toggle the big marble switch. However, I still don't know how it will toggle marbles at the top (so it gets set on one run and then unset on the next, as opposed to set and unset on one run, or require sending big marbles down different tracks (one to set and the other to unset))

2:57am JST Friday 15 December 2006 (day 13414)

Just got the latest pics of marble track II online, including this one, which, special thanks to Reiko (receptionist) and her cell phone camera, I was able to get as a closeup of the cool new squished-in large marble track.

rei is famous!

12:53am JST Friday 15 December 2006 (day 13414)

Really cool to see my friend Rei is quoted in this article! I sent Carla the link with the subject, "READ THIS NOW"

The Peace Boat is a model of how to deliver the message of peace and human rights across the world,
said Peace Lab Director Dionysus Mintoff yesterday.

Fr Mintoff was speaking during a public discussion organised by the Peace Boat on peace, irregular
immigrants and human rights.

"The mission of the Peace Boat is universal - a message that we at the Peace Lab have been
practicing hands-on with the poor and socially disadvantaged in Malta for many years. That is why we
are delighted to host the Peace Boat," he said.

The Peace Boat is a Japan-based international non-governmental and non- profit organisation that
works to promote peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the
environment.

Its main activities are the organisation of educational peace voyages on board the ship. Three
global voyages and one short Asian voyage are organised each year.

Rei Ueno from the Peace Boat explained that it was the first time the boat had visited Malta.

The Peace Boat seeks to create awareness and action based on effecting positive social and political
change in the world, she explained.

It carries out its main activities through a chartered passenger ship that travels the world on
peace voyages. The ship creates a neutral, mobile space and enables people to engage across borders
in dialogue and mutual cooperation at sea, and in the ports it visits.

The Peace Boat activists, Peace Lab and several students from Junior College discussed the issue of
irregular immigration in Malta and Europe.

Ms Ueno explained that after the discussions are over, lectures will be held on board the ship and
incorporated with other issues that they discussed in other countries.

The boat stopped in Malta for one day and will move on to Libya.

"The Peace Boat is a global voyage and our mission is to discuss the issues of each country and hear
the voices of the local people, and deliver the final message back to Japan," she explained.