As usual, the disclaimer: In this article, I share my personal experiences navigating Japan’s age obsession as a hafu woman in her late 20s. For further context, please refer to my previous articles on being hafu in Japan and dating as a hafu . Age is more than just a number in Japan — it’s a narrative. For someone like me, with a multifaceted cultural identity, these norms around aging add another layer to an already complex relationship with self-perception and acceptance. Let’s start with the “Christmas cake rule” in Japan. While perhaps not a rule per se, it’s a well-known expression. For those unfamiliar, in the 1990s and 2000s, women were often expected to marry young. Those who remained unmarried past 25 were metaphorically referred to as “(unsold) Christmas cakes ,” referencing items unsold after the 25th. If a woman reached 26 without marrying, she was considered “too old.” The logic? Just as no one would buy a Christmas cake after December 25, society implied that no one wanted a woman over 25 — both were seen as “left on the shelf,” so to speak. Charming, right? Though this idea has fortunately faded, especially with Japan’s falling marriage and birth rates, I still occasionally hear the expression. I have friends and cousins who feel the pressure to find a partner as they age, often enduring match-making and blind dates, knowing others are watching. The saddest part of the “Christmas cake” analogy is its targeting of women alone. While I’ve had family members and even distant acquaintances say things like, “You’re not getting any younger,” my male friends and family members face much less marriage pressure, in comparison. Luckily, I let it go in one ear and out the other. Why should I listen to this nonsense? Am I “old goods” just because I’m in my late 20s and unmarried? It’s laughable, though still unpleasant to hear. Taboo Topic Is It Not? Having lived in the UK for most of my life, I was taught that asking someone their age is considered very rude. So, I felt a certain shock upon returning to Japan, where people openly and, I might add, obsessively ask how old I am. Japanese women don’t seem to ask each other as much. However, I remember when I was younger, experiencing jealousy and malicious comments from women as if my young age made me a competitor. Yet then, as now, it’s typically men who feel comfortable asking my age—and often in a not-so-pleasant, sleazy manner. In fact, my reason for writing on this topic stems from recent personal experiences. Ones that have occurred a bit too often. How old are you? In bars or social settings, the first question is always, “Where are you from?” They usually guess that I’m fully Western, which I’ve come to expect. The second question? “How old are you?” Before I even answer, they begin guessing. Once, two bartenders and a customer turned my age into a guessing game, with estimates hovering around the mid-30s. When they found out I was half Japanese, the guesses suddenly dropped to the mid-20s. I was told it was because my “strong facial features,” “aura,” and “confidence” made them think I was older. Right. So, apparently, not being shy, acting “cute,” or looking fully Japanese equates to “looking old.” I was left speechless. I told my Japanese friend about this incident, and she was appalled. She was shocked at how rude they were and said that it wasn’t normal for men to start guessing a woman’s age in Japan. She shared that she’d never experienced anything similar and that men wouldn’t dare try to guess her age, especially as I was clearly showing discomfort. I also confided in my Japanese mother. She told me that she was rarely asked about her age because people understand it’s considered impolite. She emphasized that in Japan, asking a woman her age is often avoided due to cultural sensitivities around age and youth. This led me to wonder... is it because I’m not fully Japanese that men feel more comfortable openly asking my age, despite it being rude? Hierarchy & Formality Click here to read more.
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Couchbase Announces New Employee Inducement GrantsCheyenne Botanic Gardens celebrates the holiday season with Conservatory of LightsNEW YORK (AP) — The huge rally for U.S. stocks lost momentum on Thursday as Wall Street counted down to a big jobs report that’s coming on Friday. The crypto market had more action, and bitcoin briefly burst to a record above $103,000 before pulling back. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% from the all-time high it had set the day before, its 56th of the year so far, to shave a bit off what’s set to be one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 248 points, or 0.6%, while the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2% from its own record set the day before.None
Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa are not available for the San Francisco 49ers when they enter Green Bay with designs on finding their finishing kick on Sunday afternoon. Purdy is out with a right shoulder injury and won't leave the sideline at Lambeau Field, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday, when he also declared Bosa out and confirmed journeyman Brandon Allen would make his 10th career start at quarterback. "Outside of here people haven't seen a lot of Brandon. But it's his second year (with the 49ers)," Shanahan said. "Obviously guys want Brock up, but guys are excited to see Brandon play." Shanahan said the 49ers are "a little surprised" Purdy experienced tightness and discomfort in his shoulder after an MRI exam on Monday that showed no long-term cause for concern. "The way it responded this week, it's really up in the air for next week," Shanahan said of Purdy's long-term prognosis. Allen's last NFL start on the road was with the Bengals at the Ravens in 2020. Allen completed 6 of 21 passes for 48 yards with two interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 0.0 in a 38--3 loss. "It's definitely an opportunity for me to go out and play well and put our guys in a good position to win the game," Allen said Friday. "And obviously we want Brock back and healthy and all that, but for time being, it is an opportunity for me." Purdy took the practice field Thursday with the intent to participate. His shoulder tightened significantly, and the 49ers ushered him off the field to meet with trainers. Purdy beat the Packers in the NFC divisional playoffs at San Francisco in January, but Allen is familiar to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. LaFleur was an assistant coach with the Rams during Allen's two-year run in Los Angeles. Allen broke into the NFL in 2016 with the Jaguars and is 2-7 in nine career starts. He went 1-2 with the Broncos in 2019 and 1-5 in six starts over two years with the Bengals in 2020 and ‘21. A victory against the visiting 49ers on Sunday would bolster the Packers' playoff chances, send a conference rival below .500 and avenge a bitter playoff defeat. Those seemingly rank in no particular order for the Packers (8-3), although they don't shy from living at least partially in the past ahead of a Week 12 showdown. San Francisco eliminated Green Bay 24-21 in the NFC divisional playoffs last season, scoring 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. "That's what you've got to sit with all offseason, is going back, watching the game, trying to see what you could have done better," Packers quarterback Jordan Love said. "What you could have done differently in that game. ... Just knowing that's the team that knocked us out, we're definitely hungry for this game." Ditto for San Francisco. The 49ers fell to 5-5 after last week's 20-17 home loss to Seattle, done in by Geno Smith's 13-yard touchdown run with 12 seconds to play. Still only a game behind NFC West-leading Arizona, the reigning conference champion 49ers are just 1-3 in division play and can ill afford to lose more ground. A visit to AFC East leader Buffalo awaits after the trip to Green Bay. While they're dealing with plenty of not-so-good news on the injury front, the 49ers do anticipate the return of other contributors. Cornerback Charvarius Ward, who missed the past two games following the death of his 1-year-old daughter, practiced Wednesday. Tight end George Kittle also is eager to play after a nagging hamstring injury sidelined him against the Seahawks. "Very excited," Kittle said. "Can't pass up playing the Packers, so no, I will be out there for sure." Allen was a three-year starter at Arkansas but has been a journeyman backup since entering the NFL in 2016 as the 201st overall pick of the Jaguars. Shanahan and LaFleur have been fierce competitors since twice working together, first as low-level assistants with the Texans in 2008, then on the so-called "dream team" staff in Washington that also included Sean McVay, Mike McDaniel and Raheem Morris; and two seasons with the Falcons (2015, 2016) where LaFleur was quarterbacks coach and Shanahan called the plays. Shanahan scored the most recent win over LaFleur in January. Green Bay has won seven of the past eight regular-season meetings between the franchises. But the familiarity and shared-brain approach to offense that has the coaches completed each other's play calls has led to some tight games. The past three at Lambeau Field were all decided by three points. Green Bay, which hosts a home game on Thanksgiving next Thursday, is starting a run of three games in 12 days. They'll play back-to-back Thursday games. Their Week 14 game is at Detroit. That might make it good news for LaFleur that surprising contributors have emerged of late. Packers wideout Christian Watson had a career-best 150 receiving yards on only four catches during last week's 20-19 road win against the Chicago Bears. His diving 60-yard reception in the fourth quarter put the Packers in position for Love's go-ahead, 1-yard scoring run with 2:59 to play. Watson entered the game with eight catches for 83 yards over his previous three contests, but LaFleur assured Watson remains a "big part" of the attack. "He's a guy who's got every measurable known to man in terms of the size, the speed, and it's not like those were easy plays he was making," LaFleur said. "He was making tough, contested catches." San Francisco will aim to generate more pressure against Love than the Bears, who sacked him just once. The 49ers collected four sacks against the Seahawks, with Bosa and Leonard Floyd contributing 1.5 apiece. Recent regular-season history between the Packers and 49ers at Lambeau Field has favored Green Bay. The Packers have won seven of their past eight home games against the 49ers and are 22-11 versus San Francisco at home all-time. Green Bay leads the series 34-28-1. --Field Level MediaSaquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles make their second-to-last road trip of the regular season Sunday to face Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens. The NFC East-leading Eagles (9-2) have won seven in a row and play four of their final six games in Philadelphia, traveling only about 125 miles to visit the Ravens (8-4) this weekend and the Washington Commanders in Week 16. Sunday's game features the NFL's two leading rushers. Barkley (1,392 yards) and Henry (1,325) are far ahead of Green Bay's Josh Jacobs (944) in third place. Henry leads the league with 13 rushing touchdowns. Barkley (10) is tied for fourth and Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts (11) tied for second. The matchup also features two of the top candidates for Most Valuable Player honors entering Week 13 in Barkley and Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, who won his second MVP award last season. Their competition includes quarterbacks Josh Allen of Buffalo and Jared Goff of Detroit, with Allen widely considered the favorite. "Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are phenomenal football players that help their team win football games, and Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley are phenomenal football players that help their team win football games," Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. "Excited about the opportunity this week because it's our next one. It will be a really good opponent, really well coached, good players, good atmosphere that will be there. Excited about the opportunity this week. And we're going to have to be on it against a really good team." The showdown at M&T Bank Stadium also pits Baltimore's No. 1 offense (426.7 yards per game) and No. 2 scoring offense (30.3 points per game) against Philadelphia's No. 1 defense (274.6) and No. 6 scoring defense (18.1). The Eagles have held seven consecutive opponents to under 300 total yards, while the Ravens have gained at least 329 yards of offense in all 11 games. Philadelphia is coming off a 37-20 road win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night in which Barkley smashed the franchise record with 255 rushing yards. Baltimore also earned a prime-time win in Los Angeles, defeating the Chargers 30-23 in the "Harbaugh Bowl" on Monday night behind Jackson's three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing). Jackson said he's looking forward to the Barkley and Henry show. "I've known Saquon from high school. We were in the all-star game together and he jumped over somebody's head," Jackson recalled Wednesday. "So I've pretty much seen him before I even got to the league, college, anything. I've been knowing about Saquon, but Derrick Henry -- King Henry -- I'm with him every day and I'm seeing what he's capable of, so it's going to be a great matchup." Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith practiced Wednesday after sitting out Monday with a hamstring issue. Nose tackle Michael Pierce (calf) was designated to return from injured reserve. Tight end Charlie Kolar (broken arm) is out for several weeks and cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf) did not practice. The Eagles lost veteran defensive end Brandon Graham to a season-ending triceps injury Sunday. Wideout DeVonta Smith (hamstring) missed the win over the Rams and did not practice Wednesday. Neither did cornerbacks Darius Slay (concussion) or Kelee Ringo (calf). Philadelphia is 5-1 away from home this season -- 6-1 if you count their season-opening "home" victory against the Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Baltimore is 4-1 at home. The Ravens hold a 3-2-1 lead in the series with the Eagles. They haven't met since Baltimore's 30-28 win in Week 6 at Philadelphia in 2020. --Field Level Media
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Liverpool beat holders Real Madrid with Aston Villa denied win against JuventusAkal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on Monday called the meeting of Sikh clergy on December 2 to pronounce the much-awaited tankhah (religious punishment) to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal. Sukhbir was declared tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) by the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs on August 30 for the mistakes committed by the party and its government from 2007 to 2017 on complaint of the rebel Akali leaders. Along with Sukhbir, Sikhs who served as ministers during the Akali government from 2007 to 2017, and members of the then core committee of the party have also been summoned on the day of the meeting. As per a communiqué shared by the Takht secretariat, the meeting has been called to discuss the matter related to the Akali Dal and current Sikh issues. The meeting will start at 1 pm. “Those summoned have been sent letters from the secretariat. The SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami along with all the secretaries of the SGPC have been asked to be present before Akal Takht on the occasion”, said the spokesperson of the Takht secretariat. On November 16, Sukhbir tendered his resignation as the party president and stated in his latest letter to the jathedar that he wanted to appear before the Takht as a ‘humble Sikh’. However, his resignation was not accepted by the working committee of the party during its meeting on November 18 and the decision has been kept pending. The SAD president and other party leaders of his camp had been making repeated appeals to Giani Raghbir Singh to give a decision on this matter at the earliest citing that it’s been more than two and half months since he (Sukhbir) was declared tankhaiya. Being held tankhaiya, Sukhbir has not been able to participate in any public activities. Takht turned down SAD leaders’ plea for allowing him to lead the party campaign in recently held bypolls in four assembly segments in Punjab. Following this, the party decided not to contest bypolls in the absence of the president, though Balwinder Singh Bhundar was appointed as working president. The mistakes cited by the rebel leaders include the revocation of the blasphemy case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim for imitating Guru Gobind Singh in 2007; the failure to punish perpetrators of the Bargari sacrilege and police officials for the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing incidents; allowing the appointment of controversial IPS officer Sumedh Singh Saini as the Punjab DGP besides giving Farzana Alam, the wife of controversial police officer Izhar Alam, the party ticket in the 2012 assembly elections and appointing her chief parliamentary secretary; and lastly, failing to deliver justice to victims in fake encounter cases. The rebels blamed Sukhbir for these mistakes which were termed as ‘sins’ by the Sikh clergy while declaring him ‘tankhaiya’. Any ‘political punishment’ to Sukhbir can have widespread ramifications for the party as it would mean his removal as party head as is being demanded by a section of the Sikh community. The party is already going through an existential crisis and has faced a series of debacles in the assembly and parliamentary elections since 2017. Moreover, this time around the Sikh clergy seems to be in the mood to put an end to the episode of granting pardon to Sirsa-based dera’s controversial head Gurmeet Ram Rahim from Akal Takht on September 24, 2015. It is alleged that the then-Sikh clergy took that decision under pressure from SAD’s honchos. The Sikh clergy and SAD faced unprecedented backlash over this move which was revoked later following the opposition. The Takht has sought clarifications from former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, former Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Gurmukh Singh and former Takht Patna Sahib jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh who were part of the Sikh clergy which pardoned the dera head. Giani Gurmukh Singh is currently serving as head granthi of Akal Takht. After he alleged that Badals pressurized the Sikh clergy to grant the apology, he was removed from the post of Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar and transferred to a historic gurdwara in Haryana in 2018. Besides, members of the then executive committee of the SGPC have also been summoned. The gurdwara body got ₹ 90 lakh advertisements published in newspapers to justify the pardon. Following the complaint of the rebel Akali leaders, the Takht had sought clarification from the gurdwara body, which had been submitted to the jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh.
PA Sangma med college empanelled under Ayushman BharatSAN JOSE, Calif. , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that Nimrod Ben-Natan , President and CEO of Harmonic, and Walter Jankovic , Harmonic's Chief Financial Officer, will participate in a fireside chat at the Raymond James 2024 TMT and Consumer Conference in New York City , on Monday, December 9, 2024 at 8:20 a.m. PT / 11:20 a.m. ET and host investor meetings throughout the day. Mr. Jankovic will also host investor meetings at the Barclays 2024 Global Technology Conference in San Francisco , on Thursday, December 12, 2024 . A live audio webcast of the fireside chat will be available on Harmonic's website at investor.harmonicinc.com . An archived webcast will remain posted on the Company's investor relations website for 30 days. Further information about Harmonic and the company's solutions is available at https://www.harmonicinc.com/ . About Harmonic Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in virtualized broadband and video delivery solutions, enables media companies and service providers to deliver ultra-high-quality video streaming and broadcast services to consumers globally. The company revolutionized broadband networking via the industry's first virtualized broadband solution, enabling operators to more flexibly deploy gigabit internet service to consumers' homes and mobile devices. Whether simplifying OTT video delivery via innovative cloud and software platforms, or powering the delivery of gigabit internet cable services, Harmonic is changing the way media companies and service providers monetize live and on-demand content on every screen. More information is available at https://www.harmonicinc.com/ . Harmonic, the Harmonic logo and other Harmonic marks are owned by Harmonic Inc. or its affiliates. All other trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/harmonic-to-participate-in-upcoming-december-2024-investor-conferences-302316838.html SOURCE Harmonic Inc.
Shillong: Meghalaya was rewarded for the second consecutive year for securing the second place in the Group-D category for the prestigious National Energy Conservation Award for its efforts in promoting energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption and promoting sustainability. The award was organised by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Union ministry of power, recognising Meghalaya's commitment to achieving significant environmental impact through energy-saving initiatives. At a function in New Delhi Saturday, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union minister of state for power, Shripad Naik, presented the awards to the states recognised for their exemplary contributions towards energy efficiency. "In his address, the vice president commended all the states for their exceptional contributions to national energy conservation goals and their unwavering commitment to sustainability," an official statement said. State power minister Abu Taher Mondal said the govt has initiated several energy-saving measures, including efforts such as reducing energy usage in manufacturing, investing in renewable energy, adopting energy-efficient technologies, and notifying policies related to energy efficiency, some of which are in the final stages of notification. "These initiatives have contributed to a reduction in energy consumption, aligning with the government's long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality," the minister said and thanked chief minister Conrad K Sangma for his unwavering support to the power department. While recognising the efforts of the consumer in taking up various energy conservation steps, he stated that the award is based on the indicators specified under the State Energy Efficiency Index, along with policies and activities related to energy conservation implemented across various sectors, such as industry, transport, municipalities, buildings, cross sector and MePDCL (Meghalaya PowerDistributionCorporation Ltd. (MePDCL). The power minister highlighted that the govt had notified the Meghalaya Energy Conservation Regulation 2017, which aims to promote the use of BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) star-rated appliances in public procurement and bans the use of incandescent lamps and inefficient magnetic-wire chokes in tube lights. "The govt has constituted a state-level steering committee for the identification of key pillars of energy transition at the state level and to provide policy guidance and recommendations to achieve state-specific energy transition goal. The government also launched the Meghalaya Electric Vehicle Policy 2021, which envisions 15% of the state's motor vehicles being powered by electric batteries by 2025," he said. Commissioner and secretary, power department, Sanjay Goyal said the recognition is a testament to the state's unwavering commitment to fosteringa sustainable and resilient power infrastructure. "The objective is not only to meet the energy requirements of the community but also to establish a foundation for enhanced service reliability and sustainable energy for overall progress in the region," he said and mentioned that a Demand Side Management Cell has also been established in MePDCL with the assistance of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, New Delhi, to formulate a suitable business model for adopting DSM (demand-side management (DSM) activities. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .