How Big schools treat their workers , dont support the big schools

Hi there Miwa;
Here is what happened;
Basically before I went on my bicycle trip , work that I had expected to get was canceled, Nittaidai Sports university and some kids classes . So I, very politely sent an email and got the following reply;

"I have given you a web site and a Google calendar.
While I appreciate the work you offer. I do need a minimum amount per month and as you maybe aware. I have kept my schedule open on Monday in expectation of Nittadai.
Off late there has been quite a few cancellations "

        On Mon, Mar 18, 2019, 3:52 PM Paul Mason <paul.mason> wrote:
  "  Dear Stephen
I can’t keep 150 teachers schedules in my head at all times. And I have no idea when teachers’ schedules outside of Shane change.
If you would rather I didn’t offer you things, I am happy not to bother"

So,I didn't say anything. My schedule for March was very slim ( not much work) so I decided to take the chance to travel. When I got back I checked my schedule for April and there was NO work. So I emailed Anthony (the Sales manager);
"Hi there
Hope this email finds you in cheer.
Just looking at my schedule and I have a number of questions.
Hosoda High school in Shiki, ( Wednesday)    Shukutoku High school in Oji ( Fridays ) should have appeared on my schedule by now.
Next Month has only 3 classes.
Probably, its all hands to the pumps there at the moment. So I'm hesitant to say, but based on a 40 hr standard week , ( not a school week). I need at least 180min a day in order to keep the wolf from the door.
You can see my concerns.
Sorry to bother you with this. Especially as you , probably , have more important things to worry about.
Kind regards Stephen "

I received the following reply;
On 4/10/19 11:35 AM, Anthony Gardner wrote:
Dear Stephen
How are you doing? Yes, there have been changes and all sorts of issues we have been dealing with that are finally getting sorted
Related to that, unfortunately, both Hosoda and Shukutoku requested different teachers for the new school year so we can't offer you that work this time.
To be honest with you, I'm afraid we have had complaints from clients about you which makes it difficult for us to offer you work for certain clients. Also, for CSD, we simply don't have the work where we can guarantee a teacher a chunk of hours each day.
I'm sorry I couldn't give you better news.
Thanks
Anthony
This was a bit of a shock as I have always tried to do the right thing and a good Job. Im not perfect and make mistakes but I try hard so I sent another Email;
Dear Anthony;
Can you be specific about the complaints, as this is not the feed back I have received directly.

On Wed, Apr 10, 2019, 4:01 PM Anthony Gardner <anthony.gardner@shane.co.jp> wrote:
Dear Stephen
This is what I heard from sales reps:
Hosoda said you just weren't a fit for the school there.
Kanda Hitotsubashi had issues with your communication with JHS students not being suitable for them.
At Keika Girls HS, you didn't follow the curriculum which caused problems for the teacher taking over the following day.
These are things we hear when we communicate with clients, sales reps, managers and teachers. Then we have to evaluate each teacher regarding their suitability for a client based on their track record.
You've done good work for us too of course but we have to consider every factor when dealing with 200 teachers and over 250 clients at CSD, and keeping everyone happy and the whole thing ticking along smoothly. I hope you can understand that.
Thanks
Anthony"

So I replied;
Thank you for letting me know
However, this does differ from the feedback I received.
However that is correct about the girls high school and curriculum. This was due to miscommunication.
Once again thank you for your time and consideration
Stephen

So this was a bit of a shock, so I emailed Hosoda High school just in case. ( and before I left for my bicycle trip. I spoke to the head teacher at Shukutoku High school and had positive feedback).
I got this reply;
" Hello.
I am not sure about the reason but we had interviews with some teachers and your name was not on the list.
It is not anything like you did  something wrong, but we needed more teachers since Hosoda junior high school has started, so had to have an interview.
I am sorry for not being able to give you good enough explanation.
We thank you for everything that you did for our students.
Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
#######"
So as far as I can see Shane csd hasnt put forward my name to pretty much ALL of the people I teach.
This has left me without work ( and money ) from May,  I have 100 000 yen in the bank and when that runs out I am in big trouble. So you can see I have to find work asap!
I would love to be able to continue to teach your class and WILL be there next week but I'm not sure what will happen after that !
Sorry for the long Email but this is exactly what has happened .

Japanese Swords | MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION

Japanese Swords

 

Japanese swords and their rich individual histories have fascinated people for centuries. Swords were first used as weapons in the Tumulus Period (3rd century).
Swords seen in the Asuka (592-710) and Nara (710-794) Periods were called chokuto, or straight sword, a name that reflects their use for thrusting rather than slashing.
The evolution of what was to become the classic Japanese katana the world has come to know began in the Heian Period (794-1192), which saw a surge in the demand for swords due to the many internal conflicts that took place during that period, the most famous of which is perhaps the clash between the Genji and Heike Clans known as the Genpei Kasen. Before this time, imported swords were valued over domestic blades for their quality.
With each successive conflict, however, these early Japanese swordsmiths (tosho) improved their craft, eventually arriving at the characteristic curved blade, or wanto that distinguishes the Japanese katana from other swords seen around the world.
The introduction of cavalry to Japanese warfare spurred improvements in the length and arc of the blade to allow mounted warriors to more effectively wield their swords in battle, which is called tachi.
With the emergence of samurai as the ruling class of the military government established in the Kamakura Period (1192-1333), skillful craftsmen cultivated under the Shogunate began to produced new types of bladed weapons such as the tanto (short sword), naginata and yari (pole weapons). Development continued as Japan faced the two Mongol Invasions (1274 and 1281) in the late Kamakura Period.
It was at this time that the prevailing method of battle shifted from individual combat to coordinated unit tactics, and bladed weapons were produced to meet the needs brought about by this change.
Some of them are now national treasures. The Muromachi Period (1336-1573) saw the introduction of short swords, or kozori, swords for indoor fighting, or wakizashi, and the two-sword samurai style that we are familiar with today.
They were also important products in overseas trade. By the Sengoku Period (1467-1590), which saw the rise of two famous samurai, Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the quality of swords had improved to such a degree that they had become prized possessions and symbols of authority, taken as spoils of war and presented as honors.
The introduction of firearms brought rapid change. Armor design shifted to emphasize ease of movement and improved protection.
Along with this came the appearance of the uchigatana, a sword whose weight and length made it ideal for combat. The uchigatana is what we generally think of nowadays as the Japanese sword. In the Edo Period (1603-1868), laws were established to restrict sword ownership by class, limiting, for example, tradesmen and craftsmen to short swords.
As peace spread during the Edo Period, sword use declined. At the end of the period (1853), however, sword use rose as forces within the nation again plunged into conflict.
Although personal possession of swords was prohibited in 1876, they continue to fascinate us because we feel the proud history of the samurai that made them famous as they built the Japan we live in now.


Forging a Japanese Sword
Forging a Japanese sword requires strength and specialized skill, and swordsmiths are masters at creating designs, selecting material, and finishing. The following are the major steps involved in making Japanese swords.

Tip of the Japanese Swords

1. The key is that the tip does not to break or bend.

The strength of Japanese swords is ensured by the selection of the best material for each part. The process of realizing the ideal combination of core softness and outer-layer hardness is called tsukuri-komi. Using softer metal (shingane) in the core helps to absorb and reduce impact, and wrapping it with a harder metal (kawagane) prevents the blade from bending.

Metallurgy

Tanto
Tamahagane, as a raw material, is a highly impure metal. Formed in a bloomery process, the bloom of sponge iron begins as an inhomogeneous mixture of wrought iron, steels, and pig iron. The pig iron contains more than 2% carbon. The high-carbon steel has about 1 to 1.5% carbon while the low-carbon iron contains about 0.2%. Steel that has a carbon content between the high and low carbon steel is called bu-kera, which is often resmelted with the pig iron to make saga-hagane, containing roughly 0.7% carbon. Most of the intermediate-carbon steel, wrought iron and resmelted steel will be sold for making other items, like tools and knives, and only the best pieces of high-carbon steel, low-carbon iron, and pig iron are used for swordsmithing.



The various metals are also filled with slag, phosphorus and other impurities. Separation of the various metals from the bloom was traditionally performed by breaking it apart with small hammers dropped from a certain height, and then examining the fractures, in a process similar to the modern Charpy impact test. The nature of the fractures are different for different types of steel. The high-carbon steel, in particular, contains pearlite, which produces a characteristic pearlescent-sheen on the crystals.[22]



During the folding process, most of the impurities are removed from the steel, continuously refining the steel while forging. By the end of forging, the steel produced was among the purest steel-alloys of the ancient world. Due to the continuous heating the steel tends to decarburize, so a good quantity of carbon is either extracted from the steel as carbon dioxide or redistributed more evenly through diffusion, leaving a nearly eutectoid composition (containing 0.77 to 0.8% carbon).[23][24] The edge-steel itself will generally end up with a composition that ranges from eutectoid to slightly hypoeutectoid (containing a carbon content under the eutectoid composition), giving enough hardenability without sacrificing ductility[25] The skin-steel generally has slightly less carbon, often in the range of 0.5%. The core-steel, however, remains nearly pure iron, responding very little to heat treatment.[25] Cyril Stanley Smith, a professor of metallurgical history from MIT, performed an analysis of four different swords, each from a different century, determining the composition of the surface of the blades:[26]
Blade composition
Era Carbon (edge)   Carbon (body)    Manganese     Silicon  Phosphorus      Copper
1940s 1.02%            1.02%                   0.37%                     0.18%    0.015%          0.21%
1800s 0.62%               1.0%               0.01%                        0.07%     0.046%         0.01%
1700s 0.69%            0.43%           0.005%                         0.02%       0.075%         0.01%
1500s 0.5%            0.5%               0.005%                         0.04%        0.034%         0.01%

              In 1993, Jerzy Piaskowski performed an analysis of a katana of the kobuse type by cutting the sword in half and taking a cross section. The analysis revealed a carbon content ranging from 0.6 to 0.8% carbon at the surface, but only 0.2% at the core.
The steel in even the ancient swords may have sometimes come from whatever steel was available at the time. Due to its rarity in the ancient world, steel was usually recycled, so broken tools, nails and cookware often provided a ready supply of steel. Even steel looted from enemies in combat was often valued for its use in swordsmithing.
The different layers in this blade are evident due to the difference in their carbon content, which is exaggerated at the hamon giving it a wispy appearance.
According to Smith, the different layers of steel are made visible during the polishing due to one or both of two reasons: 1.) Either the layers have a variation in carbon content, or 2.) they have variation in the content of slag inclusions. When the variation is due to slag inclusions by themselves, there will not be a noticeable effect near the hamon, where the yakiba meets the hira. Likewise, there will be no appreciable difference in the local hardness of the individual layers. A difference in slag inclusions generally appear as layers that are somewhat pitted while the adjacent layers are not. In one of the first metallurgical studies, Professor Kuni-ichi Tawara suggests that layers of high slag may have been added for practical as well as decorative reasons. Although slag has a weakening effect on the metal, layers of high slag may have been added to diffuse vibration and dampen recoil, allowing easier use without a significant loss in toughness

2. Other crafts related to sword making

The creation of a Japanese sword requires more than the swordsmith who makes the blade. A number of other craftsmen take part in the process, craftsmen such as polishers (togi-shi) who add sharpness and beauty to the blade, scabbard makers (saya-shi) who ensure the perfect fit for each sword, lacquer painters (nu-shi) who coat the scabbard, silversmiths (shirogane-shi) who make the metal fittings placed between the blade and hilt, hilt wrappers (tsukamaki-shi) who craft sharkskin and other materials, and handguard makers (tsuba-shi).

3. How to distinguish tachi swords from uchigatana

When we look at a sword, we notice that some blades are exhibited with the sharp edge upward and others are exhibited with the sharp edge downward. This is the difference between tachi and uchigatana. While a Tachi is carried with the blade edge facing downward for easy drawing when riding on horseback, uchigatana is carried with the edge upward for easy drawing while on foot.

4. Iwaku – One of the attractions of Japanese Swords

It is also interesting to learn the legends related to each sword. For example, a famous Japanese sword called douji-kiriyasu-tsuna is said to have cut the head off an ogre. Heshikiri-hasebe is said to have been owned by famous warlord Oda Nobunaga. Nikkari aoe is said to have been so sharp it even killed a ghost.

5. How to become a swordsmith

Becoming a Japanese swordsmith takes five to ten years studying under a master and passing an examination given by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs. There are currently approximately 350 licensed swordsmiths in Jwapan. Each licensed swordsmith is limited to producing 24 swords per year to maintain the high standard of quality.

6. Purchasing a Japanese sword?

Japanese swords are sold at sword and antique stores. A Japanese sword certified as a work of art can be purchased by anyone. These are for display only, however, because carrying one in a public place or removing it from its scabbard are strictly prohibited.

Japanese NewYear Kanki 2018 ( easy)

Was it that bad?

This year is nearly over. Was it a great year?
 Japanese people have chosen the kanji (Chinese character) they think describes 2018. 
They chose the kanji, "disaster". This was because there were natural disasters in 2018. Japan had typhoons, earthquakes, heavy rains, and a deadly heatwave.

 These killed hundreds of people.
Japanese people have voted for a word of the year since 1995. The kanji "peace" was second this year.

 Last year, "north" won because of North Korea's nuclear tests. The world also had disasters. There were wildfires, hurricanes and tsunami. 

There were wars in Syria and Yemen. People want next year's kanji to be "happiness".

Now lets look at the same story, only a little more difficult !

The year 2018 is coming to an end. For some people it was a great year, and for other people it wasn't so great.

  In Japan, an organization conducted a survey to ask people for the word they thought best described 2018. 

The winner of this survey was the word "disaster". The kanji (Chinese character) that Japanese people chose means "disaster or misfortune".
 The organization said people chose the kanji for disaster because of the many natural disasters to hit Japan in 2018. 
Japan was hit by deadly typhoons, earthquakes, heavy rains that caused widespread destruction, and a killer heatwave. 
Hundreds of people lost their lives in these disasters and many roads and homes were destroyed.

The organization is called the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation. 
It has conducted a "word of the year" survey annually since 1995.
 This year, it received suggestions from 193,214 people. The second most popular kanji was the character for "peace". 
 Last year, "north" was the winner. This was because of increasing tensions over North Korea's nuclear tests.
 The rest of the world was also hit by devastating natural disasters, including wildfires, hurricanes and tsunami. 
Wars also raged across the world, especially in Syria and Yemen. 
There was also a lot of suffering because of immigration - people trying to move to other countries to find a new life.
 People hope the next kanji will be "happiness".

Tap water as good as bottled water

People may be __________ their money by buying bottled mineral water.

 A study commissioned by Australia’s Weekend Australian newspaper __________ there is little difference between tap water and bottled water.

 Chemists from Sydney’s University of Technology __________ the tap water in three Australian cities, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as various brands of mineral water.

 Their   _results_ showed that the bottled water tested was no cleaner than tap water. 

The research leader, Dr Grant Hose __________ the idea that bottled water was purer than the tap variety. 

The Weekend Australian reports him as saying, “Tap water is as healthy for you as bottled water - it's no different.” The research also __________ tap water may be better for your teeth as it contains fluoride, which is excluded from most bottled water.

 A huge difference __________ by the study was the relative price of mineral water. 

The newspaper reports the leading Australian brand, priced at $1.60 a liter, is “209,333 __________ more than tap water, which in Melbourne costs 0.075 of a cent per liter”.

results reveals rejected per cent indicated wasting highlighted analyzed

 

TRUE FALSE: Guess whether the following statements about the article are true or false:

1. Bottled mineral water is a total waste of money. T / F
   
   
2. A newspaper commissioned a study to compare tap water and mineral water. T / F
   
   
3. There is little difference between tap water and bottled water. T / F
   
   
4. Mineral water is much cleaner than tap water. T / F
   
   
5. A researcher accepted the idea that mineral water is purer than tap water. T / F
   
   
6. Tap water is better for your teeth than mineral water. T / F
    
7. Bottled water contains lots of fluoride. T / F
   
   
8. Bottled water can be 2,093 times more expensive than tap water. T / F

Linking words

Christmas Traditions Around the World

Christmas Traditions Around the World

The Philippines: Christmas season begins in September with the feast of Saint Pio and ends in January, meaning nearly half the year is Christmas in the Philippines. The event closest to December 25th is a nine-day mass called Simbang Gabi, which includes hymns and Filipino foods. Christmas Eve is celebrated all night and then followed by a day of family talks and gift giving. Maligayang pasko (Merry Christmas)!

Mexico:  In the nine days before Christmas, children and adults dress up as Mary and Joseph and visit different neighborhoods. These “pilgrims” sing songs at houses in request of shelter. The host replies in song and offers drink and food. Children try to break a star-shaped piñata and do not receive gifts until January 4th. Feliz Navidad!

Ethiopia:  Christmas Eve is celebrated on January 6th in accordance with the local Ge’ez calendar. On that night, priests carry nicely decorated umbrellas and wear traditional clothing. They march through cities with large groups of people. In the morning, people feast, presents are exchanged, and some people play sports. During the Timkat parade, held 12 days later, a stone replica of the 10 Commandments is wrapped in rich fabrics and carried by priests on their heads. Melkam Ganna!

Finland:  Finns believe that the Winter Solstice brings out the spirits of the dead. On Christmas Eve, celebrated at roughly the same time, Finns place candles around the graves of relatives. Hyvää Joulua!

Vietnam: Christmas was only recently reintroduced to largely Buddhist Vietnam after a relaxation of restrictions in the early 1980s. It is a mainly a Jesus-free event. Santa is sometimes shown on a scooter instead of a sleigh and Vietnamese Catholics gather in churches that look like temples. Citizens visit crowded city centers and later eat Christmas chicken soup. Chúc Giáng Sinh Vui Vẻ!

Sentence structure

The parts of a sentence are the subject, verb,

object, complement and adverbial. A statement

begins with the subject and the verb. There are

five main structures which we can use to make

a simple statement.

• SUBJECT VERB

My arms are aching.

Something happened.

 A sentence is commonly defined as "a complete unit of thought." Normally, a
sentence expresses a relationship, conveys a command, voices a question, or
describes someone or something. It begins with a capital letter and ends with a
period, question mark, or exclamation mark.
The basic parts of a sentence are the subject and the verb. The subject is usually a
noun—a word (or phrase) that names a person, place, or thing. The verb
(or predicate) usually follows the subject and identifies an action or a state of being.

• SUBJECT VERB OBJECT

( nothing ) need a rest.

Five people are moving the piano.

The subject and object can be a pronoun

(e.g. I) or a noun phrase (e.g. the piano).

 In addition to serving as subjects, nouns may also function as objects in sentences.
Instead of performing the action, as subjects usually do, objects receive the action
and usually follow the verb. See if you can identify the objects in the short
sentences below:
The girls hurled stones.
The professor swigged coffee.
Gus dropped the iPad.
The objects—stones, coffee, iPad—all answer the question what: What was hurled?
What was swigged? What was dropped?

• SUBJECT VERB COMPLEMENT

This piano is heavy.

It was a big problem.

The complement can be an adjective (e.g.

heavy) or a noun phrase (e.g. a big problem).

The complement often comes after be. It can

also come after appear, become, get, feel, look,

seem, stay or sound. For adjectives and word

order.

• SUBJECT VERB ADVERBIAL

It is on my foot.

Their house is nearby.

An adverbial can be a prepositional phrase

(e.g. on my foot) or an adverb (e.g. nearby).

• SUBJECT VERB OBJECT OBJECT

Its giving me backache.

David bought Melanie a present.

We use two objects after verbs like give and

send.