KansaiNow.com Staff Page

Staff

Mark McCracken - Owner. Mark came to Japan in 1990 and after a few years "it seemed every few weeks, I'd get a letter from my sister-in-law's hair dresser's gynocologist's babysitter saying 'tell me everything about Japan and English teaching'. I decided it would be easier to just put this on a website and then just refer people to it". "The main idea behind KansaiNow.com is that people want quick access to clear information, not slick looking brochure-quality sites that take 2 mintues for each page to load. I try very hard not to waste people's time." Mark owns over 100 domain names, of which 16 have become actual sites, of which 3 are relatively active. In addition to KansaiNow.com, there is TeachMeFinance.com, a tutorial he wrote after being sent to Proctor and Gamble on Rokko Island to teach finance for a year, and LearnEnglishNow.com a free weekly E-mail English lesson he sends to over 5200 students from around the world.

Justin Ledden - Head Writer. Justin writes the 15 Minutes in Kansai articles for THE ALIEN. He contributes most of the bar and restaurant reviews as well as occasional columns. Justin came to Japan from upstate New York about a year and a half ago soon after being "dismissed" from his burger flipping gig at Wendy's. The decision to come was based mainly on a deep and ongoing fascination with late 8th century Eastern Japanese literature and folk music, fields in which he has quickly become a world-renowned expert. His preferred activies include doing and folding laundry, banging out his favourite V6 tunes in the karaoke box, playing with his Hello Kitty accesories collection, and of course walking around Shinsaibashi pantsless. His favourite colour is green, and though he's American, he likes to use the British spelling for selected words because "it makes me appear scholarly". While searching for some semblance of a life, he writes for KansaiNow.com because "a voice from deep within told me why the hell not". If you see him around town, please don't hesitate say hello as he doesn't have too many friends.

Copyright (c) 1999 - 2000 by Mark McCracken, All Rights Reserved