The Swine Flu. Novel H1N1. S-OIV. 2009 H1N1 Influenza. Whatever you want to call it, it’s out there and wreaking havoc. Out of season and out of control, swine flu appears determined to stay, at least for a while. No need to panic, however, as most of us, swine or not, will survive. Here is a little Q & A that may help you avoid the virus and take the appropriate action if you pick it up.

1. What is Swine Flu? It is a viral infection caused by a new type of influenza A virus, first detected in April of this year. Because it is new, most people lack immunity to the virus and it has spread worldwide, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a “pandemic” state on June 11, 2009. Although it shares some genetic components with influenza viruses known to infect pigs, it is a distinct virus, so it has most recently been referred to as the “2009 H1N1 Influenza A Virus” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (more…)

What is an action director?

There’s a lot of different titles for people  who are responsible for creating a fight scene; the action director, the stunt coordinator, the fight coordinator, etc, so it’s easy to get confused. An action director is like the overseer. They are the ones who have to think about the drama portrayed by the action, the camera angles, the editing, and the sound.

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What happens when assertiveness, a highly valued emotional competency in most Western cultures, comes in contact with uchi no soto, the distinction of being on the inside, or set apart on the outside of a particular group in Japan?    How can we use emotional intelligence to sensitively bridge the cross-cultural conundrums we experience everyday?

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It’s that time of year again when many of us will be venturing out to exotic and perhaps not-so-exotic destinations for the summer. As you pack your bags, you might be wondering, just what are the risks of travel? Will I come down with O’nyong-nyong fever? Ebola? Tunga penetrans? Actually you are much more likely to be injured in an accident or be affected by more common problems such as jet lag, motion sickness, sunburn or traveler’s diarrhea than any exotic tropical disease. But, since you plan to be careful when crossing the street, religiously wear sunscreen and pile on the insect repellent, what are some of the other threats to your health that you can avoid or prevent during your vacation?

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On the way back from Cirque de Soleil at Tokyo Disneyland, the train home was full of Mickey Mouse-clad toddlers and youngsters, still buzzing from the fun and magical day they had. The train rattled loudly from a bump on the tracks and I almost hit the back of my head on the window. Another rattle, and the ride smoothed over. The excitement in the train was disrupted by a disturbing wailing sound. At first, my friends who were all foreigners except for one, thought it was an animal or a baby, we weren’t sure. The wailing got louder and stronger and everyone including us tuned in, it was suddenly dead silent except for the wailing. (more…)

Recently, I went to the pharmacy in Japan and was overwhelmed by the choices of slimming teas and beauty teas which claim that by drinking them, you will lose weight and become more beautiful. Of course, like any other woman (and who says men don’t feel the same way too?), I would love to have a fabulous body and look gorgeous just by drinking a massive amount of tea a day. So I decided to put this to the test.

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Unfortunately there are times in our life (or the life of someone we care about) when we will fall prey to illness and, or injury. These can some of the most stressful situations/times in our life.

Dealing with illness or injury can be difficult in our own countries where we naturally communicate and comprehend most things.

But now you are in Japan or will come to Japan; here the language, culture, social norms and way of doing ways are in many case completely alien to what you have known and where our assumptions are quite often wrong.

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The depressing truth about antidepressants is that studies have shown that they are no more effective than a placebo in treating mild to moderate depression.  Furthermore, it has been demonstrated in clinical trials that as many as half of those who receive no medication improve anyway.  In fact, anti-depressants are contraindicated for short-term treatment of minor depression – something the drug companies don’t want publicized.

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Chances are either you or someone you know has been prescribed anti-depressants.  Sadly, they have become the default drug of choice if you are feeling depressed.  It’s so much easier for a doctor to prescribe a pill that promises to help you feel better than to take the time to figure out what the real issues are that may be causing your low spirits.

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