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- what a loss
1 hour 10 min ago - Wow, I feel really bad to
10 hours 57 min ago - This is probably just a ploy
19 hours 5 min ago - Sad
19 hours 53 min ago - A reputable outfit
20 hours 23 min ago - The good places have a
21 hours 16 min ago - Shame about Dave's...
22 hours 20 min ago - I'm worried about your attendance, Titaporn.....
1 day 12 hours ago - ...But there were so many
2 days 7 hours ago - my nova experience
2 days 16 hours ago
Nova on Life Support
Today was a bad day for Nova. They've all been bad of late, but this one has a particularly disgusting odor. Everything that could go wrong for Nova has.
1. The Shinjuku honko in Tokyo, right outside the busiest train station in the world has shut its doors.
2. The General Union went on strike today. For one day it seems. Is that right? They should be striking until their demands are met.
3. The Nikkei threw Nova under the bus shortly after trading began this morning. The brief article mentions teachers not showing up and not being paid, the General Union strike, the re-submitted report to the JASDAQ stock exchange that blames Sahashi, the Shinjuku honko closing, and the share price opening at 27 yen. Then it throws Nova under the bus: "At this point in time, there are no expectations that Nova's business improvement will bolster its share price" （現時点で特に経営改善を期待する押し目買いはみられない。）.The article concludes that with uncertainly surrounding where Nova is heading (how about down?), investors are likely to stay away from Nova thus making raising short-term cash problematic.
4. Remember that guy, Nishida, that people in the forums were speculating about, who reportedly had a hand in Nova's equity warrants? It turns they may be right about his connection to Nova. An article from the Sankei Shimbun links him to yakuza and implicates him in using the money to run stock scams.
The story gets even better on livedoor News. The article is behind a pay firewall, but the introductory blurb has a picture of the Nova bunny.
Like the Sankei article, this one says pretty much the same thing--he's into pumping and dumping the stocks of companies that are in trouble--but the inclusion of the picture of the Nova bunny suggests that the law is going to go after Nova next.
5. Finally, the English version of the Asahi Shimbun wonders what the possible outcomes for Nova are. They are:
- Nova goes out of business
- Outside investors step in
- Drastic restructuring
The second option is the best, of course, but it just doesn't seem likely at this stage. Sure, it's student network may be appealing, but buying Nova would mean having to deal with all of Nova's outstanding obligations--all of those pre-bought, unused lessons, and the demands for refunds. It would be a very brave investor who decides to buy up Nova.
This not encouraging news for teachers. Barring a major announcement, it looks like the cash injection from the equity warrants will not happen. The share price is hovering below 30 yen, meaning the equity warrants will likely not be exercised, and the yakuza seems to have had a hand in the deal to boot. Nova is sunk. It doesn't look like anybody will be seeing any money soon.
Edit: News from Kansai TV today on the General Union meeting and a look at the problems the company and teachers are facing. Who was it that said there is no such thing as bad press? (h/t Muteki)
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Bang, bang, bang...
...Nails in the coffin!
Wild scenes at MM Centre!
Check out what this instructor did today at the MM Centre!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFKkZtX_7V0
Employment Insurance
Updated links for instructors at www.nzconsulatesapporo.com
hey! cheers for the videos
hey! cheers for the videos and the info!
and thank you to everyone fighting and demonstrating...
I haven't been working myself, in fact i find it hard to get my fat arse out of bed these days...
love
Saved by Inefficiency
Yup, this website is awesome. I've been checking it regularly. I worked for Nova for 2 years, quit, and was set to go back last week to make some quick cash, if certain consulates were more efficient, i would be in your shoes. Obiously not going now..
Keep loading the videos so we can see whats going on there.
If anyone has footage of inside the branch or better MM, load it up!
nova staff in Boston practically cried on the phone telling me the good news i wouldnt be going and that they hadnt got paid. Worst part is the pretense of still offering to "delay" departure. yeah right.
Good luck you all, especially those who started after August
Wish i had some advice but i myself am stuck in a third work country. Do Korea and china still need teachers??Thank god im a procrastinator and havent bought my ticket yet.
Damn us for wanting to travel right...
peace
Sahashi says he's going to pay on the 25th
in that last video, probably if that stock deal goes down on the 24th, we'll get paid. Give the man a chance, he brought us here, didn't he? Japan can't really let this happen, can they? "Get real!"
happy
I will be the happiest man alive if we get paid on the 25th, that is sad
We would be...
We would be martyers in his eikaiwa kingdom, heaven is at hand.
FOOD !
Here's a great idea: http://www.dannychoo.com/blog_entry/eng/1074/Free+Food+in+Japan/
A place to stay !
Looks nicer, cleaner and cheaper than what NOVA provided.
Lodging !
Here's an alternative : http://www.sakura-house.com/
Some more alternatives providing both !
http://babibubebo.com/category/places-to-stay/
give him a chance..
This guy can not be serious...... yes Sahashi brought everyone to this point........... and where is it going to leave people...
Nova's inexplicable stock price.
With the escalating bad news of late, it's surprising and unsettling Nova's stock price remains nearly unchanged, dropping only from 31 to 29 JPY the past two trading days, a loss of only 6% in share value. This is more than odd.
The stench of malfeasance is so thick, it's nearly palpable.
Excuse me, but...
he didn´t brought us here. We paid our own flight and came to unpaid rents´apartments.
Sahashi owns most of it
I thought it was odd, too, but over 70% of the stock is owned by Sahashi and his cronies so is not, I'm sure, actively traded. The remainder is probably being snapped up as it comes to the market to prevent a preciptious drop. Don't know how they can keep it up, though, and sincerely doubt they'll be able to pump it up to 35. You can keep an eye on the stock here: http://company.nikkei.co.jp/index.cfm?scode=4655
BLAME THE UNION AND THE GOOD FOR NOTHING WALKOUTS
There are many teachers who are hoping to get paid. Obviously, many are counting on the equity warrants. Thanks to the General Union and all of the instructors who have refused to hold out for just two weeks after official payday those warrants will probably not be exercised.
As shady as the deal was, it at least offered "a" chance to see one last paycheck.
The titled instructors held out for two weeks in september and got paid. You lazy walkout instructors have absolutely no sense of sacrifice, concerned about immediate concerns and not focused on the ultimate goal at hand: at least, one final last paycheck. JUST TWO damn weeks!!!
Sure Saruhashi is an AWFUL business man, coward, and disgusting individual, but at least, he did try to do something. I'm sure he is pressing the red button as much as we are. Sure student refunds, backrents, etc have priority over teacher salaries, but it seems that those instructors are not willing to even work up to that point.
As for the General Union:
Unions in general are a righteous group of complainers who want what they think they deserve and more. Matter of fact is: the English conversation machine in Japan is not what it used to be years ago, so of course, it is not going to be as good as it used to be. Businesses are cutting corners everywhere. If a union gets enough support from the government and can really do something, then hats off to the union. But this is Japan and the government will do fuck all for the union. This government is not like the governments in our home countries. They will not try to help what they are destroying... they have too much pride to and will not see anywrongdoing in what they've done once it's been done. They will follow through their first decision to the very end. Too much damn pride by the government and lack of foresight on top of that. I'm sure the government did not see this coming in June. And if they did, FUCK 'EM!
A union in this type of situation will cause the snake to devour itself. First, destroy the company, then lead to its own demise as well. Nothing to fight for anymore. Poof, kabam, shazam... just like that. The place where they try to fight for privileges will no longer exist thanks to their overly hardlined ideals.
It's like burning the home you live in. THEY CAN'T DEMAND WHAT THE OTHER PARTY DOESN'T HAVE. If your best friend came over and asked you to pay back the money you lent him and he doesn't have it, what are you going to do? The only thing you can do: patiently WAIT, while maintaining that friendship. Of course, if it drags on for too long then it is over between you. In Nova's case, it HASN'T been that long. The fucker saruhashi was trying to scurry up cash. he's not our friend; we just want him to pay. then many more people can go home or whatever...
For those of you who have been lucky enough to find new jobs, hats off to you. well done. For those who are trying, hats off to you. For those who are doing nothing and expect unemployment insurance, the hell with you lazy asses.
Those who valiantly put their efforts into coming with some stint of hope will have their hope shattered by those who continue to do nothing. aware that the market is flooded, what can they do? Finding a job in japan is lotto at this point in time.
The ultimate people of power here are the unweary students. If they banded together and complained to the government, then more would happen, I think. 400,000 consumers!!! But this is Japan. They are not as tightly woven as many would think. Though not applicable to every Japanese person, Japanese people, in general, are among the least outspoken people in the world, so they will not do this; therefore, nova is fucked on that end. If there are reactions when nova goes down, then hats off to them. But they will take the: can't be bothered approach and it will all die out...
Your stupid!!
When ou have a 17month old daughter we wil see how long you wait for a check that may or may not come. I hope you are still not working. I hope you found another job or are taking your time to look. Because the market is overrun. Better yet I hope you are still going into nova. Gives another person a chance to find work. heres to good time wasted.
Obviously, many are counting
Obviously, many are counting on the equity warrants.
The absolute last thing we want is for those equity warrants to be sold. We will never see the money from them, and the company will be destroyed.
legless is a moron
I am not one for unions myself and have never joined one. However, only a total moron would blame the union, which had very little power in the first place, for this one.
First of all, the whole warrants thing was an act of extreme desperation. You would be better off betting on the lottery than betting on getting money from that. It was not a real chance in any way.
Nova has been bankrupt (but not officially) for weeks now you dolt! You do not bet paid by bankrupt companies no matter how much the stupid and desperate work for them for free. All working for Nova would do now is work off a tiny bit of the debt for some of the criminals at the top.
Nova has been declining for a long time due to bad and criminal management. In my opinion, anyone who has worked for them for these last couple months has been foolish. Anyone who does it from now is just a moron beyond belief! You have been kicking a dead horse for a long time. It is too bad for those that lost their jobs and the students, but that is the nature of capitalism. Let this one die and move on! The whole world has problems. Some a lot worse than yours.
No need to waste your time
No need to waste your time reading the comment above.
Another smart ass who doesn't know what he's talking about.
I went to the General Union meeting in Osaka yesterday and they actually advised people to go to work.
You people be careful what you read in this forum!
A lot of people like to think they're smart (while they're usually the dumbest) and would write anything.
Good luck everyone!
Anders
Anders is /was 'jicho'...a company director and highest-ranking foreigner in the company.
Teaching in Korea
Dear anonymous...
I met a couple recently who have been teaching in Korea for the past 3 years. They find it really rewarding and the pay is actually better then what we get (or used to get!) from Nova. If you are thinking of teaching in Asia, I would say that Korea would be a good choice... am thinking of heading there myself next! x
ITS >>YOU'RE<< STUPID.
god that drives me nuts.
Labor standards office
Labor standards office questions Nova staff to prepare for charges
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20071023p2a00m0na003000c.html
Legless has a point!
When METI started making life hard for Nova,the union decided it was an apt time
to go public and ask for better working conditions for the teachers.One dressed up as a bunny and they did their thing for the national news programs. This was bad timing and did not help the situation at all.Students watched the TV news and saw that the teachers were not pleased with their working environment. I could not take the union seriously after that. Sorry lads. I know you are at least trying to help.
Feeling Depressed?
If you are feeling depressed and want to kill yourself. Be sure to call it in at the Gaijin Office. If it is documented and you go through with suicide it is one more thing NOVA is in trouble for.
Haven't you noticed through teaching?
The biggest fear the Japanese have is; being ashamed. Being associated with shame is socialogical death! "Make a shame of me once, shame on me. Make a shame of me twice, shame on you!"
I had this debate a few days
I had this debate a few days ago on one of the other threads. Amazing that a bunch of people who are teaching English could make such mistakes. We teach these concepts to students in their first year of English study, yet some teachers have not mastered it.
Anyways, when I pointed it out, the other guy chose to go on the attack and just ended up embarrassing himself.
You have a point,but...
...if you are trying to be funny...it's not. Only Japanese workers do that kind of thing!
Warrent this!
They cannot exercise the warrent unless it is above ¥35. What's the closing price today?
being serious
I know it is nothing to joke about and the decision to take ones own life should not be made on a wim. If one looks at all thier options and still feels suicide is there best option. Than they should call in and have it documented and comment it about it in the suicide note. So your family and friends are able to at least get something out of it.
Suicide is not selfish. You are taking your own life and no one elses. People who think that it is are selfish.
Barry Jones
Hi I am trying to contact Barry Jones from Osaka a Nova Teacher for can you believe it 10 years!I am an old friend of his.Michael Todd.Please ask him to skype me if you know him.Sorry about what has happened to all you guys by the way
MM Centre scene
So is this guy still at the MM Centre or not?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFKkZtX_7V0
debate
What was the debate about?
The correct way to use your vs you're?
I think you are using debate in the wrong context.
Sorry to have to point this out to you, i dont want to embarrass you or anything like that.
Just do it!
How about the people that are left?
Something from the heart
Oh, dear colleagues, customers, shareholders, yamaguchi gumi and friends.
I am overwhelmed by your kindly and support.
As you know..the stress..my health..MB asking me to be the poster boy for Chibiko..etc.
I just..you know..can't take it any more.
But you, all of you will be fine. I am sure 5000 unemployed gaijin will not send Hello Work bankrupt! (Sorry, just a little private joke between myself and Sir Monkey Bridge).
As I write this to you from the Kansai International Airport my heart is heavy..as is my suitcase loaded with warrants and solid gold rabbits. If only there was more time..
..but there isn't so I will just say goodbye for now.
Rest assured you have my word that I will tell them all about you back in Sweden. You all know that old expression "my home is your home.."..and just to clarify I was the one who said "it is always darkest before the dawn"..goddamit!
Still, I reach into my pocket and I find a packet of Nova pocket tissues and I am overwhelmed with sadness and tears yet again.
So Sayonara all..and gahnbete or whatever that silly Japanese expression is..my Japanese is terrible..just like a 7A or a level 3 or...anyway I forget all that nonsense.
I must go now.
Your ever loving Jicho,
AL
That's all folks!
It's a wrap! Share prices below ¥35! The "END!" ..... LOVE YA ALL, BUGS BUNNY xxxxx
ITS OVER ALREADY
ITS TIME TO MOVE ON LETS JUST TAKE OUR LOST TODAY AND MOVE ON FROM NOW.
THERE IS NO NEED TO GO IN TO ANY NOVA BRANCH ANYWHERE IN JAPAN.
JUST REMEMBER WE ARE NOT DEFEATED WE HAVE LIFE.
TRULY YOURS,
NOVA EMPLOYEE
It's not OVA, yet!
That get me in trouble first! BUT ... "It's not over till I say it's OVA!" NOVA EMPLOYER, S.N.
Nova employee
Thankyou Nova employee. I feel likewise but it just won't be the same without amorous Anders.
*Ahem* It's you're stupid...
*Ahem*
It's you're stupid...
And, while I'm at it,
And, while I'm at it,
"here's to a good time wasted."
Oh, so very funny. It
Oh, so very funny. It turned into a debate (more like a slap fight, I was trying to be kind) about who was being a jerk, who should stop posting, and so on.
It's important to remember that everyone makes mistakes with language, but mistakes with basic concepts such as "you're/your", "their/they're/there" and "its/it's" should not be made by people who are supposed to be teaching the language to others.
give us a break...
We teach conversation, and we don't stop as we're conversing and say 'it apostrophe ess' and 'you apostrophe aar-ee'. People here correcting every little spelling error, punctuation mistake, and so on, are driving others nuts. Who wants a grammar lesson in times like these, the show will be over soon and we'll be no better off for knowing how to apostrophise. Thanks anyway and please continue with your red pen but hey...
Are you serious my friend?
Real believer you are either a) a dickhead, b) on drugs c) Nozom Saruhashi, its hard to tell so similar, I`d say all 3
...and what do you mean
...and what do you mean "Japan cant let this happen", is `Japan` some imaginery friend of yours we havent met yet, please tell us about him/her. Where are you right now, anyway? Its happening as we speak, people have no money to eat, pay rent, go home, no ones done nothing...wake up jackass
UN Food drop for Nova teachers and staff
The United Nations has agreed to provide an air drop of food, clothing and medical supplies at 10 am Wednesday 24th of October, in two locations in Japan. The first will be on Yotsubashi Dori, Osaka, near the MM centre. The second will be near JR Shinjuki station, Shinjuku dori. Please remain calm and take ONLY ONE package, so as to disperse the supplies evenly among you all.
We hope Nova will trade above 35 yen, pay you and provide shelter once all of you have clean clothes a full stomach and no more herpes/crabs/syphillis/typhoid/gonnorhea/etc, etc...
Here is the news report;
OSAKA, Oct 23 (Reuters) - The United Nations' World Food Programme has been forced to air drop food for the first time in Japan after the east Asian nation suffered its worst foreign unemployment crisis in 45 years.
In a statement released late on Tuesday, the WFP said the operation was a desperate last resort to help thousands of people after Nova failed to pay teachers salaries.
"Resorting to food airdrops reflects the severity of the situation ... the worst in 45 years," WFP OSAKA acting country director Baba Ghanoush said.
"There is simply no other way to get survival rations to isolated people."
I agree to a point, and yes,
I agree to a point, and yes, the main issue is much bigger, but I'm still entitled to go off on a tangent about these things.
slap fight?
I think it turned into a masdebate...
is my spelling correct oh great one?
Actually, the last time I
Actually, the last time I worked there, there was some reading and writing involved with the job. Has it changed?
And we're not correcting "every little spelling error, punctuation mistake, and so on...". These are not spelling errors, and they're not typos. This is a total misuse and inability to understand the basics of the language. Two different words, with different meanings, both of which are covered in first-year ESL classes. They just happen to sound roughly the same.
When Nova collapses, there will be a lot of people looking for jobs, with fewer jobs available than the number of people. Some will stay in Japan, and some will go. My suggestion is that if you don't know the difference between some of those words, or if you think that an apostrophe is needed to pluralize a noun, that you step aside. This is not the job for you.
But in general, I do wish you all good luck. This is a terrible situation. Here's a piece of encouragement. I've had two situations such as this in my life, when I thought that all of my doors were closing, and I was royally screwed. Each time though, I ended up better off and happier. I really believe it's true that when one door closes, another one opens. In a few years, when you're looking back at this time of your life, many of you will find that it was all for the best. You might not believe it now, but you will later. That's often the way life works.
Is that you, Buddy?
Is that you, Buddy?
Hey, why don't you at least
Hey, why don't you at least add a little something to your anonymous username (preferably not a "2"), so I can identify you from among all of the other anonymous users on here? Right now, you're kinda (yes, I know) striking from the shadows.
stick my head out the window
Today i stuck my head out the window and i yelled "i'm as mad as hell and i'm not gonna take this anymore!"
You know, I've been thinking
You know, I've been thinking about this. I've decided that only on a forum stacked with a bunch of Nova instructors could you get together a group of people who are supposed to be teaching English, and have so much backlash towards people who point out that they make mistakes with first-year material. I can't imagine a bunch of math teachers defending those among them who can't add.
It's a very interesting commentary on qualification and professionalism.
then what
Most of us (except the few teachers continuing to do the NOBOT in to work) would pretty much agree with you. But where do we go from here? Many of us have been foolish and were totally blinsided when we got evicted and when our schools announced they would close, sorry, merge.
The persuasive power to continue to work was easily believable, restructuring, blah blah. Yeah, it is foolish, but many of us have never been in the middle of this type of thing before.
Hey, I don`t want to leave Japan, but I may have started looking for a job too late in the game. Maybe we will get that one last paycheck tomorrow, actually that is my only hope of staying in Japan, paying rent, again.
Yes, the whole world has problems, many of them worse than ours, but you do know that this website is dedicated to discussing our problems, right?
How about posting some possible jobs.
memoirs-of-a-gaijin guy missing!?
He is now 2 days behind in his blog and funny podcasts. I guess life is not so funny now huh, "A"? Eh?
The advantages of continuing to work for NOVA
1) Become a titled teacher, just by showing up
2) Lvely voice rooms, NOW they're talking!
3) Easy to pick up extra classes and 'weekend' work
4) Less competition for the bathrooms
5) Relax and chill out at work– we’re not bothering about that stuffy heating anymore
6) Fight shoulder to shoulder with the J-staff…camaraderie galore!
7) Take your pick of students from amongst the thousands clamouring to use their tickets
8) Nova is abandoning the no drugs policy, in fact the J-staff will buy you all the speed you need to keep turning up and talking
9) Receive payment in desirable office supplies rather than dirty old money
10) Become an FP asshole in no time flat - plenty of promotions available at head office these days
The Nova Advantage
11) teach the unit on Fast Food Ordering in level 7B all day!
..it will come in handy in our future jobs!
"Would you like fries with that?"
arigato blueterrace
FINALLY NOVA IS BANKRUPT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ITS OVER A COMPANY THAT SQUANDERED ITSELF BY GREED IS FINALLY OVER ITS GOOD THIS MONSTER IS FINALLY DEAD!
Lovely Saruhashi
NOVA broken all foreigner fault. Saruhashi best human love all teacher. Lazy foreigner please go back own country now!
QANTAS
I am no fan of QANTAS but they are offering NOVA teachers discounted flights home. Japan has a insurance scheme for unpaid wages, so you will get most of your money back but it will tax six months (friend of mine did this with another failed school). To Japanese students who have been ripped off: It really, really sucks. Hope you get some of your money back and that scumbag president goes to jail.
Michael, tried to find you
Michael, tried to find you on skype with no luck. Give me more contact info.
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