Today's stumbled-upon word: alderman (n.) elected member of municipal council. j.mp/rd7FsL

Today's stumbled-upon word: catenative (adj.; of verbs) chainable (e.g., "I decided to stop worrying". j.mp/qKJjg2

Today's stumbled-upon word: shim (n.; computing; from a word meaning "wedge" translating wrapper library. j.mp/p1j1Ba

Today's stumbled-upon word: immiserate (v.) impoverish, make miserable. j.mp/nKeOGe

Before and after. j.mp/oVtrHb

Tomioka, near our family's house, used to be home to about 16,000 people. Now one single solitary guy lives there. j.mp/mWh7bs

Today's stumbled-upon word: germane (adj.) relevant, appropriate, fitting. j.mp/ny9YeK

Authorities expect medium-/long-term radiation levels in Fukushima to be highest in Okuma town, where our family lived. j.mp/pkuICS

I always chuckle a bit when Nigeria scammers tell me their cancer has "defiled" treatment. Doesn't mean what they think. j.mp/qMkKMC

Got a few stares as I tried my Heelys outdoors. Apparently, a 41-year-old idiot on wheeled shoes isn't something people see every day.