On August 22, 2020, at about 10:41 a.m., I received an email from a reader of my column with a question.
I couldn't answer right away either, so I've been thinking about it for a day or two and decided to respond to him on my blog.
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(Q1) Your columns cover a wide range of subjects. How do you gather information?
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I don't do regular information gathering.
The column will basically be released once a month in January, so I've been doing a crazy amount of information gathering over the past month.
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I can get a lot of information by using Internet search engines. and I use "Google Scholar" (paper search) more frequently than news and personal blogs.
In terms of good quality data, methodical logic, and a focus on extraordinary problems, papers are outstanding.
Nevertheless, I try to "lickety-split" because the text of the paper is difficult to understand.
For more information, this is how you can help.
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Other than papers, it's still books.
Since I don't have the money, I use the city library's reservation system to borrow books.
If I decide that I can't make it in time with a reservation, I pay my own way and buy the book on Amazon.
I've found ebooks to be very useful these days.
E-books are very useful because I can write a manuscript while reading a book on my PC display (so in my room, I have four PC displays running at all times).
However, specialty books are expensive, and that's a headache.
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One thing I use frequently these days is YouTube.
The YouTube content on "quantum computers" and "quantum theory" is excellent.
The lectures on YouTube, given by university professors and lecturers from prep schools, are excellent because the lectures are explained along with videos, I can stop and watch them over and over again if I cannot understand something,.
In general, content that is easy to understand has a larger audience, so it's good to be able to assess the quality of the content before I watch it.
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Otherwise, comic books are a treasure trove of information on social, government, medical, welfare, handicap, law, LBGT, science and technology, and more.
Also, hard science fiction novels, for example, are a pile of advanced technology.
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Also, I have "people who contacted us by email to tell him/her directly" and sometimes I go to the homes of experts.
I've learned a lot of things directly from LGBT people, and I've attended interviews about medicine, law, technology and content creators .
I ask before the interview, "I am sorry but I can't pay you for your help", however I've never been rejected by this reason.
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This isn't information gathering, but "Computer Programming & Simulation" is my strongest ally, but also my worst enemy.
A number of my hypotheses have been rejected by the results of this simulation.
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Q2: Are there any magazines, websites or newspapers that you regularly subscribe to?
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I do not have a subscription.
I don't have access to the information when I need them, and I can get back issues when I need them (although in many cases I can't get back issues).
However, I try to watch the NHK specials on a regular basis. If I have to, I pay for the NHK archives to watch them.
However, even if I pay a subscription fee or use the NHK archives, I can't watch all of the past content of the NHK Special. Honestly, I'm not happy with it.
As for the newspapers, I am in a situation where I have an "irregular subscription" because my wife changes newspapers regularly because she wants rice, detergent and tickets to the amusement park with the contracts.
Hence, I can write this diary.
That's all.
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Thank you for reading my columns.
I would be grateful if I could continue to subscribe to my works.
Best regards,
Tomoichi Ebata.