Japanese for English speakers coming to Duolingo in May.

Buried at the bottom of a Tribune-Review article yesterday about the launch of a Swahili language course by the Pittsburgh-based Duolingo is an update on the status of Japanese lessons for English speakers:

[Director of business development at Duolingo Rogelio] Alvarez said East Asian languages have been the most challenging. Some, such as Mandarin Chinese, don't have an alphabet but use tones, which is challenging to teach. Demand for those languages, however, has pushed the company. Alvarez told the Trib that Duolingo expects to launch a Japanese course for English speakers in May in response to high demand.

Thai N' Noodle Outlet coming soon to Squirrel Hill.

Coming Soon signage recently went up for Thai N' Noodle Outlet at 5813 Forbes Ave. in Squirrel Hill (map), in what was most recently Sukhothai Bistro. That replaced Cool Ice Taipei, a Taiwanese food place, back in June 2014.

Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (劇場版 ソードアート・オンライン -オーディナル・スケール) in Pittsburgh, March 9.

The upcoming Japanese animated movie Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (劇場版 ソードアート・オンライン -オーディナル・スケール) will play at several Cinemark theaters throughout Pittsburgh and at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont on March 9, the date of its US premiere. The official site provides a plot summary of the movie, which opened in Japan in February:

In 2022, the world of virtual reality was upended by the arrival of a new invention from a genius programmer, Akihiko Kayaba, called NerveGear. It was the first full-dive system, and with it, came endless possibilities to VRMMORPGs.

In 2026, a new machine called the Augma is developed to compete against the NerveGear and its successor, the Amusphere. A next-gen wearable device, the Augma doesn't have a full-dive function like its predecessors. Instead, it uses Augmented Reality (AR) to get players into the game. It is safe, user-friendly and lets users play while they are conscious, making it an instant hit on the market. The most popular game on the system is "Ordinal Scale" (aka: OS), an ARMMORPG developed exclusively for the Augma.

Asuna and the gang have already been playing OS for a while, by the time Kirito decides to join them. They're about to find out that Ordinal Scale isn't all fun and games…

Tickets for the 8:15 pm show at the Hollywood Theater are available online. The theater is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. in Dormont (map), and is accessible by Pittsburgh's subway/LRT at a block south of Potomac Station.

The movie will have 8:00 pm screenings at five local Cinemark theaters: Pittsburgh Mills, North Hills, Robinson, Monroeville, and Monaca. Tickets for those are available online as well.

CMMI Institute hiring Chinese-speaking Quality Analyst.

Pittsburgh-based CMMI Institute is hiring a Chinese-speaking Quality Analyst. An excerpt of the job posting:

CMMI Institute is dedicated to elevating organizational performance through best-in-class solutions to real-world challenges. The Institute is the home of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) for Development, Services, and Acquisition; the People Capability Maturity Model; and the Data Management Maturity Model which are process improvement models that create high-performance, high-maturity cultures. The models are used in thousands of organizations worldwide to deliver business results that serve as differentiators in the global market.

Summary:

As a member of the Quality Department, analysts provide CMMI Model and appraisal Method support for certified professionals by conducting quality reviews on SCAMPI appraisals, CMMI course deliveries, certification renewals, permission to use intellectual property and ethics and compliance issues. The Quality Department is responsible for protecting the CMMI Brand; analysts must assess the nature of product or service issues and resolve basic and complex technical and support problems.

The full posting, and application instructions, is available at the CMMI website.

Shaolin Warriors at Byham Theater, March 21.

The Shaolin Warriors, a touring martial arts group from China, will perform in Pittsburgh on March 21, 2017. The Byham Theater summarizes (inadvertently revealing a copy-paste from another theater's site):

In this all-new, fully choreographed theatrical production, the Shaolin Warriors bring remarkable skill, stunning movement, and death-defying martial-arts prowess to the Byham Theater stage. The Kung Fu Masters of the Shaolin temple begin training at a very young age in mental and physical disciplines. They perfect the art of hand-to-hand and weapons combat, performing feats live on stage typically seen only in the movies

Tickets start at $25 and are available online. The theater is located at 101 6th St. in the Cultural District (map).

Yin & Yang of Pu Erh Tea, March 10 at Bantha Tea Bar.

Bantha Tea Bar in Bloomfield-Garfield will host a discussion on Pu Erh Tea on March 10 with Johnny Shieh of TeaNami.

Teanami specializes in Pu Erh Tea from Yunnan, China. Pu Erh is the only tea that appreciates in value like wine - the more it ages, the more valuable it becomes! Instead of expiring, Pu Erh's taste becomes richer, bolder, and earthier.

Benefits of Pu Erh Tea:
~Aids digestion and metabolism
~GABA and theanine to reduce stress and anxiety
~Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties
~Great Cha Chi, or tea energy!

The event runs from 7:00 to 8:00 pm at Bantha Tea Bar at 5002 Penn Ave (map). More information is available at the event's Facebook page.

Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs Town Hall in Pittsburgh, March 25.

The PA Governor's Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs will host a Town Hall meeting at the University of Pittsburgh on Saturday, March 25.

Please join the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs for an interactive dialogue. GACAPAA is responsible for serving as the advocate agency in the Commonwealth for our diverse AAPI communities. The Commission wants to hear about the challenges facing the AAPI communities in Greater Pittsburgh and how we can leverage our strengths to effectively advocate, promote resources and best serve our AAPI communities. Space is limited and your participation is critical. Please plan to attend. If you have specific questions or issues you want addressed please e-mail them ahead of time to tlawson at pa.gov.

The event runs from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm in room 2700 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public. The required registration can be completed online.

Three-part Comparative Religions of East Asia series at Carnegie Library West End, starting March 4.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's West End branch will hold three Comparative Religions talks on East Asia, starting March 4 with "Comparative Religious - China, Korea and Japan".

For three weeks in March, CLP-West End will host Steve Joseph — Dean of Library Services and professor of Comparative Religions at Butler County Community College — for an hour long lecture and discussion of religions in East Asia.

This first lecture will focus on the neighbors China, Korea and Japan, and touch on religious themes that are present in all three cultures, as well as how practices of the same religion, like Buddhism, differ across East Asia.

The March 11 session is on "Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism":

The second lecture in our three part comparative religion series, hosted by Steve Joseph, will examine the themes, similarities and differences between Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. Each religion (or philosophy, if you prefer) exerted great influence over social, political and religious thought and practice throughout China, Korea and Japan. Learn about their origins, basic tenants and points of emphasis.

And the March 18 session on "Buddhism and Shinto":

During the third and final comparative religion lecture at CLP-West End, we will focus on Japan to examine the island nation’s differences with it’s mainland neighbors. How Buddhism evolved there and how Shinto worship came to be, and what it symbolizes, will be the focus of our religious inquiry.

The events run from 1:00 to 2:00 pm and are free and open to the public. The West End branch is located at 47 Wabash Street (map).

2006 documentary Blindsight at Carnegie Library in East Liberty, February 28, part of Silver Screen Stereotypes: Disability in Film series.

The East Liberty branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will show the 2006 documentary Blindsight on February 28, part of the library's Silver Screen Stereotypes: Disability in Film series.

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Himalayas, this documentary follows six Tibetan teenagers on their journey to climb a 23,000 foot mountain. 104 minutes.
Join us as we watch recent film portrayals of persons with disabilities and ask:

• Are the portrayals accurate?
• What’s the message being promoted?
• What film needs to be made to promote an accurate or positive image?

The ways in which individuals and groups are portrayed in popular media can have a profound effect on how they are viewed by society at large. Persons with disabilities are beginning to be portrayed more in popular cinema. Yet, many of those representations remain inaccurate and may be offensive. This film series is intended to stimulate discussion about how persons with disabilities are portrayed in film and should not be considered an endorsement of the films’ accuracy or appropriateness

The event runs from 12:00 to 3:00 pm. The library is located at 130 S. Whitfield St. (map).

Poet and writer Ocean Vuong at Pitt, February 25.

The University of Pittsburgh's F.O.R.G.E (Facilitating Opportunities for Refugee Growth and Empowerment) will host Vietnamese-American poet and writer Ocean Vuong on February 25. The event starts at 6:00 pm in the William Pitt Union's Lower Lounge (map).