Several things on the list to review this time.
Title: Nodame Cantabile (volumes 1-2)
Media: Manga
Text: English (translated)
Story: Ninomiya Tomoko
Art: Ninomiya Tomoko
Publisher: Del Rey (originally Kodansha)
Overall: I think the author's note in the front of volume two says it best, really: "I had originally started out writing a comic about youth involved in classical music, but now it seems the characters are getting a little odd... I can't say where this is going... My apologies." While that just about covers it, what it fails to mention is the humor of the series, which is definitely up there as far as I'm concerned. (Caveat: Humor is definitely a subjective taste.) It won't sound like much from any description I've found, but it ends up as a readily suggestable manga anyway.
Nodame is a difficult series to synopsize (is that even a word?), because the character interactions really are the story. That said, the story is primarily that of Shinichi Chiaki, pianist and violinist, who wants to be a conductor. What he really wants is to learn from a European conductor named Viera, but between his fear of flying, and of the ocean, Chiaki is basically locked in place in Japan.
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Title: Train+Train
Media: Manga
Text: English (translated)
Story: Kurata Hideyuki
Art: Takuma Tomomasa
Publisher: Go! Comi (originally Media Works, Inc.)
Overall: A planet dedicated to learning, circled by trains? Okay, I know, it sounds wacky, and probably none too bright. Still, it's a story by Kurata Hideyuki, the man who gave the world paper manipulation as a superpower, so even though it sounds odd, I didn't have much choice but to give it a shot. As with most first volumes, it suffers from the slump caused by having to introduce the characters. Unfortunately, it didn't pick up quite to the extent that I'd been hoping it would, but I'll hold out for another volume or two before making an ultimate decision.
It comes off as a kind of action/adventure/schoolyard drama, with the twist being that the schoolyard is actually the planet, and the dorm being the train.
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Title: Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~
Media: Manga
Text: English (translated)
Story: Akahori Satoru
Art: Katsura Yukimaru
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment (originally Media Works, Inc.)
Overall: This is one of those series that I've had the Japanese volumes sitting around for for quite a while now, and I was rather surprised when Seven Seas picked it up for a translated release. Frankly, they did a great job with the translation, right down to the font choices. Anyway, as to the story, I have to air my complaint up front: The alien whose spaceship crashes on Hazumu, and who then resurrects him as a female, stays. Again, comedy is a subjective kind of thing, but as character-driven as Kashimashi is, the deus ex machina really shouldn't have stayed for dinner. That aside, the story of Hazumu trying to fit in as a girl is enjoyable, and often humorous in its own right.
Now, as a fair word of warning, if you think from the subtitle of the series that you might have problems with it, you probably will. Otherwise, I'd suggest giving it a read, as a solid first volume, and preview of where the story is going.
2007/02/08
2007/02/07
The New Shock Therapy?
The obligatory link: Lawmaker: Shock ninth-graders with prison trips
I recall a time, back when I was still a youngster (certain people can now start laughing at me, since I'm busy reminiscing like an old man), that my Cub Scout... pack, was it? Anyway, that group went to visit a local police station. What shocked most of us, after we got done with the novelty of being in a police station, was the fact that it was brighter and cleaner than we had expected. Too many cartoons depicting incarceration in dank dungeons, I suppose... In any event, it was hardly a life-shaping "I better not be bad, or I'll end up here" kind of experience.
Having said that, this is the kind of meddling that society would be better off without. Far be it from me to turn up on the side of the public school system, but even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Mandatory contract termination for not abiding with this sounds as downright ridiculous as it is. "Send your ninth-graders to prison or we'll fire you!" Go on, tell me that doesn't boggle the mind. I dare you.
Not only is this proposed law something that goes entirely too far, but if you read down the article, "The Columbia school district already has a system that allows counselors to take a student or student groups on after-school prison tours with parental consent, Barnett added."
So, we have an over-the-top proposal, which may or may not do any good, attempting to replace a similar system already in place and functioning. Meddling, pure and simple. Give me a break...
I recall a time, back when I was still a youngster (certain people can now start laughing at me, since I'm busy reminiscing like an old man), that my Cub Scout... pack, was it? Anyway, that group went to visit a local police station. What shocked most of us, after we got done with the novelty of being in a police station, was the fact that it was brighter and cleaner than we had expected. Too many cartoons depicting incarceration in dank dungeons, I suppose... In any event, it was hardly a life-shaping "I better not be bad, or I'll end up here" kind of experience.
Having said that, this is the kind of meddling that society would be better off without. Far be it from me to turn up on the side of the public school system, but even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Mandatory contract termination for not abiding with this sounds as downright ridiculous as it is. "Send your ninth-graders to prison or we'll fire you!" Go on, tell me that doesn't boggle the mind. I dare you.
Not only is this proposed law something that goes entirely too far, but if you read down the article, "The Columbia school district already has a system that allows counselors to take a student or student groups on after-school prison tours with parental consent, Barnett added."
So, we have an over-the-top proposal, which may or may not do any good, attempting to replace a similar system already in place and functioning. Meddling, pure and simple. Give me a break...
Jefferson On Government
"If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of
the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must
become happy." - Thomas Jefferson
the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must
become happy." - Thomas Jefferson
2007/02/06
Remembering Reagan
Unfortunately for me, I was too young to realize or understand the import of President Reagan when he was in office. Still, every time I look back, I'm always coming across a quote of his that I find at least amusing, and often timely... Yes, even today. So, in remembrance, on his birthday, I thought I'd offer up a few of my favorites.
Quick credit where credit is due: To make sure I got the wording on the following quotes correct, I looked them up at www.quotationspage.com.
"How do you tell someone is a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell and anti-communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin."
"Freedom is one of the deepest and noblest aspirations of the human spirit."
"Thomas Jefferson once said, "We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works." And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying."
"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
And, having saved my two favorites for last:
"The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.""
Quick credit where credit is due: To make sure I got the wording on the following quotes correct, I looked them up at www.quotationspage.com.
"How do you tell someone is a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell and anti-communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin."
"Freedom is one of the deepest and noblest aspirations of the human spirit."
"Thomas Jefferson once said, "We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works." And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying."
"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
And, having saved my two favorites for last:
"The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.""
2007/02/05
Short Shots
There are a few targets of opportunity that I couldn't pass up, so here we go.
The obligatory link #1: Bush sends congress $2.90T spending plan
I took one look at that and thought, "Geez, here we go..." On the second look, though, I think my brain came closer to shutting down as I tried to grasp $2.90T. Taking it another way, let's say that random sports figure A plays for 20 years and makes $20M a year. That's only $400M, after 20 years... we're still off by four zeroes going that route. No, I really can't conceive of that amount of money. Then I remember how much of it they're spending on stuff that they're not actually allowed to under the Constitution... Is that steam coming out of my ears?
The obligatory link #2: Super Bowl Ads of Cartoonish Violence, Perhaps Reflecting Toll of War
Brainster already hit this, but it made me twitch when I read it, so I'm going to hit it, too. Honestly, this guy is nearly as desperate to talk up his angle on the world as all the media people were to talk up how "there were two black coaches in the Super Bowl". It's this kind of idiocy that I just can't take. I mean, is there any actual thought involved in this? "A rock" sounds too much like Iraq? Give me a break, seriously... These are commercials, produced to run during a game, not during the breaks of a political debate.
All that said, I didn't see a single one of these commercials. Nor did I see any of the game. I know, I know, it's unnatural for a red-blooded American male not to partake of watching football. Oh well, I'm sure I'll survive having missed it. Besides, it's not like I'll be able to make it through the day without someone telling me who won... so, did I really miss anything?
The obligatory link #3: Experts say bundle up
Somehow, I get the feeling that mothers the world over knew this years ago... Still, it's apparently news to the folks who run the Lansing State Journal in Lansing, MI. Maybe global warming kept it warm up there for their whole lifetimes until now? The truth is, though, that they probably bundled up.
The obligatory link #1: Bush sends congress $2.90T spending plan
I took one look at that and thought, "Geez, here we go..." On the second look, though, I think my brain came closer to shutting down as I tried to grasp $2.90T. Taking it another way, let's say that random sports figure A plays for 20 years and makes $20M a year. That's only $400M, after 20 years... we're still off by four zeroes going that route. No, I really can't conceive of that amount of money. Then I remember how much of it they're spending on stuff that they're not actually allowed to under the Constitution... Is that steam coming out of my ears?
The obligatory link #2: Super Bowl Ads of Cartoonish Violence, Perhaps Reflecting Toll of War
Brainster already hit this, but it made me twitch when I read it, so I'm going to hit it, too. Honestly, this guy is nearly as desperate to talk up his angle on the world as all the media people were to talk up how "there were two black coaches in the Super Bowl". It's this kind of idiocy that I just can't take. I mean, is there any actual thought involved in this? "A rock" sounds too much like Iraq? Give me a break, seriously... These are commercials, produced to run during a game, not during the breaks of a political debate.
All that said, I didn't see a single one of these commercials. Nor did I see any of the game. I know, I know, it's unnatural for a red-blooded American male not to partake of watching football. Oh well, I'm sure I'll survive having missed it. Besides, it's not like I'll be able to make it through the day without someone telling me who won... so, did I really miss anything?
The obligatory link #3: Experts say bundle up
Somehow, I get the feeling that mothers the world over knew this years ago... Still, it's apparently news to the folks who run the Lansing State Journal in Lansing, MI. Maybe global warming kept it warm up there for their whole lifetimes until now? The truth is, though, that they probably bundled up.
It's About To Get A Whole Lot Hotter
The obligatory link, right off the top: Global Warming: The Cold, Hard Facts?
Ever want to know why some people remain skeptical about global warming? Well, this story is a good indication. Honestly, the whole issue seems less like science, and more like the pre-fight verbal jabs one expects going into a boxing match... based on research and numbers instead of the more colorful "I'll kill you and eat your children!" type of banter, admittedly.
The only real trick here is, part of the fight is actually wrapped up in the preliminaries. Yes, Virginia, there are scientists who believe that, based on the research they've done, man has no notable impact on global warming.
Now, it's easy to try to chalk up the continuing attempts to blame the whole thing on man as "science as religion" as some do... but I think there's an easier explanation. If you were being paid to research something, and you knew the predisposition of the people giving you money, wouldn't that tend to cause you to bias your research in favor of that point of view?
Ever want to know why some people remain skeptical about global warming? Well, this story is a good indication. Honestly, the whole issue seems less like science, and more like the pre-fight verbal jabs one expects going into a boxing match... based on research and numbers instead of the more colorful "I'll kill you and eat your children!" type of banter, admittedly.
The only real trick here is, part of the fight is actually wrapped up in the preliminaries. Yes, Virginia, there are scientists who believe that, based on the research they've done, man has no notable impact on global warming.
Now, it's easy to try to chalk up the continuing attempts to blame the whole thing on man as "science as religion" as some do... but I think there's an easier explanation. If you were being paid to research something, and you knew the predisposition of the people giving you money, wouldn't that tend to cause you to bias your research in favor of that point of view?
2007/02/04
Geoff Reviews - Spiral ~Suiri no Kizuna~ v.1
Why isn't this in with D.Gray-man and 100 Bullets? Because I hadn't finished the volume when I wrote that post. And the tildes in the title? That's how it's written on the author information and publisher information page.
Title: Spiral ~Suiri no Kizuna~ (volume 1)
Media: Manga (tankouban)
Text: Japanese
Story: Shirodaira Kyo
Art: Mizuno Eita
Publisher: Gangan Comics (a Square/Enix publication)
Overall: Honestly, I'd forgotten just how much I liked this series, both in manga and anime form. The subtitle of the series, "Suiri no Kizuna", translates as "The Bonds of Reasoning". (Inference is another translation of "suiri", though not used nearly as often in translating the subtitle. Interestingly, though not surprisingly, "suiri" also refers to the mystery or detective story genre.) This is easily my favorite meitantei (detective) story, though Death Note is a very solid second. In the end, though, Spiral has Hiyono-chan, who is quite possibly one of the most entertaining characters in manga. Spiral is right up there on the must-read list.
For those for whom a Japanese text is a mystery in and of itself, there is an anime version of Spiral released by FUNimation. Unfortunately, the translation isn't of the highest quality (or I'm just picky, having done my own translating for the manga), though serviceable, and the anime only covers the first six or so volumes of the manga. The anime does, however, have an incredibly appropriate soundtrack, which serves to highlight every important moment without getting in the way of the show. The other misfortune is that Tokyopop, the American company which has the rights to the Spiral manga, has been squatting on them, unmoving, since 2005.
The mystery begins two years before the story truly starts, in a short prologue in which Narumi Ayumu receives a cryptic phone call from his older brother, Narumi Kiyotaka: "I'm going to look into the mystery of the Blade Children. Please tell Madoka." Two years later, Ayumu wakes up from a dream fitting this description, late for his afternoon classes, only to end up fingered for a murder he did not commit.
Chapters one through three center on the mystery of how a girl could have been killed from a fall if no one was present to push her, and once the killer was revealed, who killed the killer, and why. The arc closes with the knowledge that the Blade Children mystery is somehow tied in to the first killing. Meanwhile, chapters four and five begin a locked room mystery quite as unfathomable as the one depicted in Sir A.C. Doyle's "The Sign of Four".
The characters make the series, with even the best of them having their flaws. Ayumu, for example, is an excellent deductive reasoner, but in his own mind, he is forever trapped in the shadow of his brother, Kiyotaka. Beside the brilliant Ayumu, Yuizaki Hiyono is the normal one, both noisy and nosy. Still, though she's neither a natural genius like Ayumu, or possessed of the mystery-shrouded brilliance of the Blade Children, Hiyono holds her own quite capably.
Volume two brings in the first of the important Blade Children, but we'll get to that later.
A few differences to note between volume one of the Spiral manga and the first few episodes of the Spiral anime:
The girl killed in the first volume of the manga actually survived in the anime, and was not done in by fellow students related somehow to the Blade Children, but instead by one of the Hunters (who the manga gets to later). The different outcome is explained by the presence of a delivery truck, which broke the girl's fall early, thus sparing her life.
The Hunter, after he was found out and confronted, was then shot (if I'm recalling correctly... it has been some time since I watched the anime) rather than felled by an arrow, and he didn't die either, but ended up in the hospital where he passed on the information about the plot being related to the Blade Children.
And finally, under the dust jacket, there is a four-panel extra of Ayumu trying to figure out what bothers him about the hand puppets that Hiyono had in chapter two.
Title: Spiral ~Suiri no Kizuna~ (volume 1)
Media: Manga (tankouban)
Text: Japanese
Story: Shirodaira Kyo
Art: Mizuno Eita
Publisher: Gangan Comics (a Square/Enix publication)
Overall: Honestly, I'd forgotten just how much I liked this series, both in manga and anime form. The subtitle of the series, "Suiri no Kizuna", translates as "The Bonds of Reasoning". (Inference is another translation of "suiri", though not used nearly as often in translating the subtitle. Interestingly, though not surprisingly, "suiri" also refers to the mystery or detective story genre.) This is easily my favorite meitantei (detective) story, though Death Note is a very solid second. In the end, though, Spiral has Hiyono-chan, who is quite possibly one of the most entertaining characters in manga. Spiral is right up there on the must-read list.
For those for whom a Japanese text is a mystery in and of itself, there is an anime version of Spiral released by FUNimation. Unfortunately, the translation isn't of the highest quality (or I'm just picky, having done my own translating for the manga), though serviceable, and the anime only covers the first six or so volumes of the manga. The anime does, however, have an incredibly appropriate soundtrack, which serves to highlight every important moment without getting in the way of the show. The other misfortune is that Tokyopop, the American company which has the rights to the Spiral manga, has been squatting on them, unmoving, since 2005.
The mystery begins two years before the story truly starts, in a short prologue in which Narumi Ayumu receives a cryptic phone call from his older brother, Narumi Kiyotaka: "I'm going to look into the mystery of the Blade Children. Please tell Madoka." Two years later, Ayumu wakes up from a dream fitting this description, late for his afternoon classes, only to end up fingered for a murder he did not commit.
Chapters one through three center on the mystery of how a girl could have been killed from a fall if no one was present to push her, and once the killer was revealed, who killed the killer, and why. The arc closes with the knowledge that the Blade Children mystery is somehow tied in to the first killing. Meanwhile, chapters four and five begin a locked room mystery quite as unfathomable as the one depicted in Sir A.C. Doyle's "The Sign of Four".
The characters make the series, with even the best of them having their flaws. Ayumu, for example, is an excellent deductive reasoner, but in his own mind, he is forever trapped in the shadow of his brother, Kiyotaka. Beside the brilliant Ayumu, Yuizaki Hiyono is the normal one, both noisy and nosy. Still, though she's neither a natural genius like Ayumu, or possessed of the mystery-shrouded brilliance of the Blade Children, Hiyono holds her own quite capably.
Volume two brings in the first of the important Blade Children, but we'll get to that later.
A few differences to note between volume one of the Spiral manga and the first few episodes of the Spiral anime:
The girl killed in the first volume of the manga actually survived in the anime, and was not done in by fellow students related somehow to the Blade Children, but instead by one of the Hunters (who the manga gets to later). The different outcome is explained by the presence of a delivery truck, which broke the girl's fall early, thus sparing her life.
The Hunter, after he was found out and confronted, was then shot (if I'm recalling correctly... it has been some time since I watched the anime) rather than felled by an arrow, and he didn't die either, but ended up in the hospital where he passed on the information about the plot being related to the Blade Children.
And finally, under the dust jacket, there is a four-panel extra of Ayumu trying to figure out what bothers him about the hand puppets that Hiyono had in chapter two.
Geoff Reviews - D.Gray-man v.1-3, 100 Bullets v.9
For a quick review of how I'm going to go about reviewing things, please see the first installment of "Geoff Reviews". I'm going to change up the format slightly, to get the information about what I'm reviewing right up front. There are a couple of them today, so I'll get to it.
Quickly, though, a physical description of manga. Both translated manga released here in the States, or original Japanese tankouban are roughly the size of a paperback book. I only make this distinction in that I may well review things out of Japanese monthly compilations, which take chapters (in order) of current series and publish them in a large volume. There are also weeklies of the same variety. Anyway, the compilations are more the size of a hefty hardback book, though still technically a paperback. Manga tend to weigh in around 200 pages, containing between six and ten chapters, of a single story, while the compilation weeklies and monthlies are closer to 700 pages.
I'd use the term graphic novel, but in the world according to me, that applies to larger-sized compilations of (primarily American) comicbook works. These are roughly the size of an 8.5"x11" one subject notebook. (Note, that isn't an exact dimension gained by either looking it up or physically measuring it, but an eyeballed generalization.)
Title: D.Gray-man (volumes 1-3)
Media: Manga
Text: English (translated from Japanese)
Story: Hoshino Katsura
Art: Hoshino Katsura
Publisher: Viz Media
Overall: A fun adventure. The comparisons to Full Metal Alchemist are probably going to be made over-much, but that's okay for now. Still a fun adventure, even given the shounen action/adventure formula. File it under the heading "If the first volume doesn't catch your interest, don't push yourself." Offsetting that, though, is the fact that it was enjoyable enough that I went through the first two volumes in one sitting, and the third one the next day.
To expound, D.Gray-man is the story of Allen Walker, a boy turned exorcist after realizing the mistake he made in accepting an offer to have his father brought back from the dead. Like I sad, the comparisons to Full Metal Alchemist are probably going to be made over-much, and that's the plot point most people are going to hang such arguments on. (For those who don't know, the short version from FMA: Edward and Alphonse Elric are brothers who set out to become alchemists and find the Philosopher's Stone after a failed alchemic experiment in which they attempted to bring their mother back to life.)
In any event, volume one chronicles Allen's journey to a conclave of exorcists, and the happenings along the way. Primarily, this is the "get to know Allen and the world in general" volume, including the series primary villain (for the moment), the Millennium Earl. It picks up in the second half, when he actually reaches his destination, and quite nearly gets himself killed.
The next two volumes consist mostly of Allen's first two missions for the order of exorcists he has joined. The first of these is a standard race-against-the-clock-type story, where Allen and his partner for the mission have to rush off to keep an important item from falling into enemy hands. Being shounen action, of course, this ends up entailing a large brawl where Allen has to learn more about his abilities as an exorcist to end up the victor. Still, Hoshino-sensei draws a good fight, though, like most such manga, a high-budget anime will make it look more impressive.
Volume three, after a goofy opening chapter centered on the rampage of a robotic construct of the science department rampaging through the exorcist headquarters, settles into a much more human story - a city where time is looped for everyone except the exorcists sent to investigate, and one woman who has the misfortune of knowing that October 9th is currently eternal. This volume also introduced the council of villains working with the Earl, at least one of whom is a human collaborator, rather than a being from the darkness.
§§§§§
Title: 100 Bullets - Strychnine Lives
Media: Graphic Novel
Text: English
Story: Brian Azzarello
Art: Eduardo Risso
Publisher: Vertigo Comics
Overall: The continuing story of a loose collection of organized crime families called "The Trust" and their struggle for existence after they lost control of and then tried to wipe out their elite peace-keeping force, the Minutemen. It's tough to say much about this volume, if only because it builds directly on the eight that came before it. Simply, if you've been reading the series to this point, you'll want to get this volume for exactly the same reasons you got the others - characters you can't look away from, and the progression of a story that you want to read the end of. This is definitely not a "for everybody" kind of recommendation, though. If you don't approve of, or can't at least get past, a high level of sex, drugs, violence, and murder in your entertainment choices, 100 Bullets isn't the kind of thing you want to be reading.
It's very easy to lure someone into reading 100 Bullets. Here's the sales pitch that worked on me, and worked for me on everyone I've considered recommending the series to: A man meets you somewhere. Maybe it's on a bus. Maybe you're having lunch in your favorite restaurant. Maybe you're just walking down the street. Wherever you are, this man stops you, and holds up a case. "In this case," he says, "is a gun, one hundred rounds of untraceable ammunition, and irrefutable proof that what I'm about to tell you is true. How you use them is up to you." You've been wronged somewhere, by someone. Maybe you don't even know who it is, or exactly what they did. That man knows, though, and the information in that case proves it. Now what do you do?
That's not all there is to the story, of course, but that's the start of it. Some of the stories, like the primary of volume nine, attach to the main story only in that they occur in the same city at the same time that some of the main characters happen to be there. What they do effectively is to continue building the feeling of the world Azzarello has created. which stands on its sudden violence.
§§§§§
Quickly, though, a physical description of manga. Both translated manga released here in the States, or original Japanese tankouban are roughly the size of a paperback book. I only make this distinction in that I may well review things out of Japanese monthly compilations, which take chapters (in order) of current series and publish them in a large volume. There are also weeklies of the same variety. Anyway, the compilations are more the size of a hefty hardback book, though still technically a paperback. Manga tend to weigh in around 200 pages, containing between six and ten chapters, of a single story, while the compilation weeklies and monthlies are closer to 700 pages.
I'd use the term graphic novel, but in the world according to me, that applies to larger-sized compilations of (primarily American) comicbook works. These are roughly the size of an 8.5"x11" one subject notebook. (Note, that isn't an exact dimension gained by either looking it up or physically measuring it, but an eyeballed generalization.)
Title: D.Gray-man (volumes 1-3)
Media: Manga
Text: English (translated from Japanese)
Story: Hoshino Katsura
Art: Hoshino Katsura
Publisher: Viz Media
Overall: A fun adventure. The comparisons to Full Metal Alchemist are probably going to be made over-much, but that's okay for now. Still a fun adventure, even given the shounen action/adventure formula. File it under the heading "If the first volume doesn't catch your interest, don't push yourself." Offsetting that, though, is the fact that it was enjoyable enough that I went through the first two volumes in one sitting, and the third one the next day.
To expound, D.Gray-man is the story of Allen Walker, a boy turned exorcist after realizing the mistake he made in accepting an offer to have his father brought back from the dead. Like I sad, the comparisons to Full Metal Alchemist are probably going to be made over-much, and that's the plot point most people are going to hang such arguments on. (For those who don't know, the short version from FMA: Edward and Alphonse Elric are brothers who set out to become alchemists and find the Philosopher's Stone after a failed alchemic experiment in which they attempted to bring their mother back to life.)
In any event, volume one chronicles Allen's journey to a conclave of exorcists, and the happenings along the way. Primarily, this is the "get to know Allen and the world in general" volume, including the series primary villain (for the moment), the Millennium Earl. It picks up in the second half, when he actually reaches his destination, and quite nearly gets himself killed.
The next two volumes consist mostly of Allen's first two missions for the order of exorcists he has joined. The first of these is a standard race-against-the-clock-type story, where Allen and his partner for the mission have to rush off to keep an important item from falling into enemy hands. Being shounen action, of course, this ends up entailing a large brawl where Allen has to learn more about his abilities as an exorcist to end up the victor. Still, Hoshino-sensei draws a good fight, though, like most such manga, a high-budget anime will make it look more impressive.
Volume three, after a goofy opening chapter centered on the rampage of a robotic construct of the science department rampaging through the exorcist headquarters, settles into a much more human story - a city where time is looped for everyone except the exorcists sent to investigate, and one woman who has the misfortune of knowing that October 9th is currently eternal. This volume also introduced the council of villains working with the Earl, at least one of whom is a human collaborator, rather than a being from the darkness.
§§§§§
Title: 100 Bullets - Strychnine Lives
Media: Graphic Novel
Text: English
Story: Brian Azzarello
Art: Eduardo Risso
Publisher: Vertigo Comics
Overall: The continuing story of a loose collection of organized crime families called "The Trust" and their struggle for existence after they lost control of and then tried to wipe out their elite peace-keeping force, the Minutemen. It's tough to say much about this volume, if only because it builds directly on the eight that came before it. Simply, if you've been reading the series to this point, you'll want to get this volume for exactly the same reasons you got the others - characters you can't look away from, and the progression of a story that you want to read the end of. This is definitely not a "for everybody" kind of recommendation, though. If you don't approve of, or can't at least get past, a high level of sex, drugs, violence, and murder in your entertainment choices, 100 Bullets isn't the kind of thing you want to be reading.
It's very easy to lure someone into reading 100 Bullets. Here's the sales pitch that worked on me, and worked for me on everyone I've considered recommending the series to: A man meets you somewhere. Maybe it's on a bus. Maybe you're having lunch in your favorite restaurant. Maybe you're just walking down the street. Wherever you are, this man stops you, and holds up a case. "In this case," he says, "is a gun, one hundred rounds of untraceable ammunition, and irrefutable proof that what I'm about to tell you is true. How you use them is up to you." You've been wronged somewhere, by someone. Maybe you don't even know who it is, or exactly what they did. That man knows, though, and the information in that case proves it. Now what do you do?
That's not all there is to the story, of course, but that's the start of it. Some of the stories, like the primary of volume nine, attach to the main story only in that they occur in the same city at the same time that some of the main characters happen to be there. What they do effectively is to continue building the feeling of the world Azzarello has created. which stands on its sudden violence.
§§§§§
Breaking News
Due to its import, this post will remain the top post until noon Central time on Monday. Well, news is one way of looking at it, anyway. The fact of the matter is, this has nothing to do with a world event, nor a local-interest story, nor even the football game that's going to be played tonight. (I've got a Japanese word for that, but we'll get to that later.)
While I haven't had the opportunity to meet him in person, I do have a good deal of respect for Third Wave Dave, a fellow listener to Constitutional Public Radio, and general good and knowledgeable guy. With that said, happy birthday, Dave. Here's hoping that the day goes your way.
While I haven't had the opportunity to meet him in person, I do have a good deal of respect for Third Wave Dave, a fellow listener to Constitutional Public Radio, and general good and knowledgeable guy. With that said, happy birthday, Dave. Here's hoping that the day goes your way.
2007/02/01
Not So Bright
The obligatory link: California may ban conventional lightbulbs by 2012
Sure, it's not federal, but its exactly the kind of meddling that catches on with lawmakers, so ridiculing it now isn't entirely unwarranted. I'm sure there is plenty good to be said for whatever type of bulbs they're intending to push in place of the old-fashioned kind, but y'know, if they're really that much better/brighter/more cost-effective/whatever else, they'll win out in the market without the government ever actually having to lay their hands on the issue. (The obligatory reference to government-mandated gallons-per-flush on toilets, which you can find on pretty much any blog covering this issue, would go here.)
Stepping back from the actual issue for a moment, I'd like to engage in a little invective, to the point of getting in a light-based joke or two. Just how dim is Lloyd Levine, exactly? I mean, it has to take a pretty low mental wattage rating to miss the fact that calling this the "How many legislators does it take to change a lightbulb act" is going to cause people to laugh at him, not with him.
Anyway, here's hoping that this idea disappears in a collective brownout of the California legislature.
Sure, it's not federal, but its exactly the kind of meddling that catches on with lawmakers, so ridiculing it now isn't entirely unwarranted. I'm sure there is plenty good to be said for whatever type of bulbs they're intending to push in place of the old-fashioned kind, but y'know, if they're really that much better/brighter/more cost-effective/whatever else, they'll win out in the market without the government ever actually having to lay their hands on the issue. (The obligatory reference to government-mandated gallons-per-flush on toilets, which you can find on pretty much any blog covering this issue, would go here.)
Stepping back from the actual issue for a moment, I'd like to engage in a little invective, to the point of getting in a light-based joke or two. Just how dim is Lloyd Levine, exactly? I mean, it has to take a pretty low mental wattage rating to miss the fact that calling this the "How many legislators does it take to change a lightbulb act" is going to cause people to laugh at him, not with him.
Anyway, here's hoping that this idea disappears in a collective brownout of the California legislature.
2007/01/31
Flash Gaming
The obligatory link: Dig Your Own Grave - Cubefield
Cubefield - A simple enough game, really. Guide your "ship", and I use that term loosely, with the left and right arrow keys through fields of blocks. If you crash, it's game over... and you keep playing until you crash. The early portion isn't terribly difficult.
High scores are available on the site, though if you want something to shoot for right off, I racked up 329k on my first play through.
Cubefield - A simple enough game, really. Guide your "ship", and I use that term loosely, with the left and right arrow keys through fields of blocks. If you crash, it's game over... and you keep playing until you crash. The early portion isn't terribly difficult.
High scores are available on the site, though if you want something to shoot for right off, I racked up 329k on my first play through.
Geoff Reviews (Whatever Crosses His Path)
I know I've talked about reviewing before. Anyway, the short version for this purpose is that I'm going into this as a fan. That means that a) I'm biased, naturally, and b) I'm looking for entertainment value before I ever look for art value. For the purposes of ranking, I'll use a six-part scale, as follows: (1. Don't recommend even trying to watch it; 2. Minimally watchable, give it a shot if it somehow piques your interest or falls into one of your preferred niches; 3. An average show, neither really good nor bad; 4. A good show, actually recommendable; 5. A great show, give it a try unless it falls in a genre that you actively dislike; 6. An excellent show, at least give it a shot whether you like the genre or not.) Remember, though, that all of these are biased through my belief in what constitutes good and bad in a show (or a book, or music, for that matter). I'll try to be as clear as possible as to what that bias is, though, so that the ratings will actually be useful to you.
Up today is the anime series Gungrave. This was recommended to me by a friend of mine as one of his favorites. I was almost willing after the first episode to write it off as an incredibly generic, over-cooked action/adventure show for boys (hereafter called a shounen action, meaning an action show for young boys), but, between the praise that my friend had given it, and the fact that I try to give series at least two or three episodes to develop before deciding whether or not to dump them, I plowed on.
I'm certainly glad that I did. In contrast to the first episode, where everything was displayed in a characteristic over-the-top, semi-futuristic, shounen action way, the series quickly settled into the past, concentrating on the lives of the two young men who would become the major players in what the first episode had established as the present. To put it simply, I came to a shounen action series, and a character drama broke out. The characters developed a level of depth that I certainly hadn't expected... always a good thing, in my estimation.
By my measure, the arc in the past was strong, concentrating primarily on how the two main characters, Harry MacDowel and Brandon Heat, came from being low-grade street punks to rise through the ranks of Millennion, the criminal organization which controlled their city.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and the past is not indefinitely long. Shortly after the halfway point of the 26-episode series, the show caught back up with the present, with all of the over-the-top-ness that implied from episode one... with bells on. Instead of the story of people we could accept as real, we have guys sprouting extra limbs, explosive bombs made of body fat, and helicopter blades coming out of their backs, amongst other things.
There should be no surprise that the best moments of the second half of the series were also the most human ones, and that extended even as far as the obligatory fights. The more human the opponent in question was (I hesitate to use the word villain, since where are you going to apply it? To the current members of the mob? Or the former hit man now out for revenge against the organization?), the more interesting the fight was.
Now, I'm given to understand that the "present" portion of Gungrave was actually based off of the first video game of the same name. That being the case, whoever wrote the "past" portion did an impressive job of storytelling. If only they would have allowed a rewrite of the game-based portion by that same person to cut down on the excesses, I could have classified this as a great show.
Title: Gungrave
Media: DVD
Audio: Japanese, with English subtitles (an English dub is included on the discs, but what little of it I listened to made me wish I hadn't)
Overall: A good show that bordered for a long time on greatness. I'd suggest giving it a shot, but understanding that if you're not really a fan of the first episode, there will be parts of the second half that you won't have any appreciation for. If you get that far, though, see it through to the end, as the ending lives up to the expectations placed upon it.
Up today is the anime series Gungrave. This was recommended to me by a friend of mine as one of his favorites. I was almost willing after the first episode to write it off as an incredibly generic, over-cooked action/adventure show for boys (hereafter called a shounen action, meaning an action show for young boys), but, between the praise that my friend had given it, and the fact that I try to give series at least two or three episodes to develop before deciding whether or not to dump them, I plowed on.
I'm certainly glad that I did. In contrast to the first episode, where everything was displayed in a characteristic over-the-top, semi-futuristic, shounen action way, the series quickly settled into the past, concentrating on the lives of the two young men who would become the major players in what the first episode had established as the present. To put it simply, I came to a shounen action series, and a character drama broke out. The characters developed a level of depth that I certainly hadn't expected... always a good thing, in my estimation.
By my measure, the arc in the past was strong, concentrating primarily on how the two main characters, Harry MacDowel and Brandon Heat, came from being low-grade street punks to rise through the ranks of Millennion, the criminal organization which controlled their city.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and the past is not indefinitely long. Shortly after the halfway point of the 26-episode series, the show caught back up with the present, with all of the over-the-top-ness that implied from episode one... with bells on. Instead of the story of people we could accept as real, we have guys sprouting extra limbs, explosive bombs made of body fat, and helicopter blades coming out of their backs, amongst other things.
There should be no surprise that the best moments of the second half of the series were also the most human ones, and that extended even as far as the obligatory fights. The more human the opponent in question was (I hesitate to use the word villain, since where are you going to apply it? To the current members of the mob? Or the former hit man now out for revenge against the organization?), the more interesting the fight was.
Now, I'm given to understand that the "present" portion of Gungrave was actually based off of the first video game of the same name. That being the case, whoever wrote the "past" portion did an impressive job of storytelling. If only they would have allowed a rewrite of the game-based portion by that same person to cut down on the excesses, I could have classified this as a great show.
Title: Gungrave
Media: DVD
Audio: Japanese, with English subtitles (an English dub is included on the discs, but what little of it I listened to made me wish I hadn't)
Overall: A good show that bordered for a long time on greatness. I'd suggest giving it a shot, but understanding that if you're not really a fan of the first episode, there will be parts of the second half that you won't have any appreciation for. If you get that far, though, see it through to the end, as the ending lives up to the expectations placed upon it.
Tattooed Monks?
I actually saw this yesterday linked off of the Volkswagen Polo ad. It's the cute short story of a young boy who goes to a monastery to train. Anyway, with no further ado, here's your link.
2007/01/30
Just Vicious
I'll be the first to admit, I have a wicked sense of humor. Well, apparently, so does whoever came up with this ad for the Volkswagen Polo. Note that I watched it without sound, so I can't say whether or not it contains non-worksafe language.
Found on Youtube, linked from Boortz under the title "German engineering versus Arab technology."
Found on Youtube, linked from Boortz under the title "German engineering versus Arab technology."
Japanese of the Week
未だ未だ (madamada) adv. - still some way to go before goal; still more to come; much more; not yet
An amusing alliteration, if nothing else. Of course, it's pretty easy to do such a thing, due to the structure of the "letters"... Still, it's certainly useful in many cases. The one that's likely to be taught first in a real Japanese class would be using "madamada" as part of a response to a compliment of your skills in some area. In an anime setting, it's more likely to be heard either from someone in a losing position who isn't giving up, or from someone refusing to let up.
An amusing alliteration, if nothing else. Of course, it's pretty easy to do such a thing, due to the structure of the "letters"... Still, it's certainly useful in many cases. The one that's likely to be taught first in a real Japanese class would be using "madamada" as part of a response to a compliment of your skills in some area. In an anime setting, it's more likely to be heard either from someone in a losing position who isn't giving up, or from someone refusing to let up.
2007/01/29
The Offense of Working
"What is it about it (the minimum wage) that drives you Republicans crazy? What is it about working men and women that you find so offensive?" -- Ted Kennedy (D. - Massachusetts)
To the first question, a great many people brighter than I have taken stabs at it, but it boils down to this: The minimum wage reduces the number of available jobs at the low end of the pay scale, hurting the people that the raise in the wage is purported to help.
The really funny thing about it is, the people who call for raises in the minimum wage actually do understand the concept of people buying less of a thing if it costs more. This, of course, is where the calls for $X/gallon gasoline come from, to try to convince people to drive less. Now, maybe they can't bring themselves to accept that a person's labor is a product just as gasoline is, but it works out the same in the end.
It's the second question that really gets my goat, though. Setting aside the fact that, were I a good fiscal conservative, I'd probably sell the goat, there's something about this blatant attempt at class warfare that rubs me wrong. Probably something to do with the fact that I am one of those working class folk.
Now, I'll grant you, there are Republicans out there who think that way. At the same time, though, I have no doubt that such sentiment crosses party lines quite readily. And, just as undoubtedly, there are people out there of all persuasions who have no beef with working folk just for being working folk whatsoever.
To the first question, a great many people brighter than I have taken stabs at it, but it boils down to this: The minimum wage reduces the number of available jobs at the low end of the pay scale, hurting the people that the raise in the wage is purported to help.
The really funny thing about it is, the people who call for raises in the minimum wage actually do understand the concept of people buying less of a thing if it costs more. This, of course, is where the calls for $X/gallon gasoline come from, to try to convince people to drive less. Now, maybe they can't bring themselves to accept that a person's labor is a product just as gasoline is, but it works out the same in the end.
It's the second question that really gets my goat, though. Setting aside the fact that, were I a good fiscal conservative, I'd probably sell the goat, there's something about this blatant attempt at class warfare that rubs me wrong. Probably something to do with the fact that I am one of those working class folk.
Now, I'll grant you, there are Republicans out there who think that way. At the same time, though, I have no doubt that such sentiment crosses party lines quite readily. And, just as undoubtedly, there are people out there of all persuasions who have no beef with working folk just for being working folk whatsoever.
2007/01/26
Japanese of the Week
I wanted to use this one last week, when the word was used on CPR, but I didn't get the chance to. So, a week late, then...
博聞 (hakubun) adj-na,n. - well-informed; erudite
The more appropriate word for the week, on the other hand, would be this:
忙しい (isogashii) adj. - busy; irritated
博聞 (hakubun) adj-na,n. - well-informed; erudite
The more appropriate word for the week, on the other hand, would be this:
忙しい (isogashii) adj. - busy; irritated
2007/01/25
State of the Union (my take)
It's the nature of doing something like this after the fact, that I get to pick it apart to my own content. For those who want the speech in its entirety, I got it from whitehouse.gov, here.
Now, I'll grant you, an argument could be made that we don't even need the temporary worker program. Still, if we were in a situation where we had to accept such a thing in turn for it not being applied to those who are already illegal... is that enough to accept it? Or is there a good reason for wanting to throw it out altogether that I just haven't come up with, or happened across?
Let me say this right now, as a car guy, rather than a small-government conservative. Get your damned government regulations out of my car. The sludge passed off as fuel they call ethanol only contains 2/3rds as much power per gallon as regular old gasoline. It costs more in money and energy to produce, and it's more inefficient. Frankly, I twitch just thinkin' about it.
The stories that the president ended on really are quite inspiring. I would certainly suggest reading them, if you haven't had a chance to do so.
Our citizens don't much care which side of the aisle we sit on -- as long as we're willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done.Well, you know, the first part of that is pretty accurate. Of course, it shows more in the fact that more people believe that the Democrats are the small-government party these days than anything else... I wouldn't go so far as to say that there isn't a lick of difference between them, but there probably aren't all that many licks.
Our job is to make life better for our fellow Americans, and to help them to build a future of hope and opportunity(...)Gag me, please, somebody. Their jobs are enumerated very clearly here and here, in this document. Maybe I'm not reading close enough, but the concept of helping the people build a future of hope and opportunity isn't popping out at me.
In the coming weeks, I will submit a budget that eliminates the federal deficit within the next five years. (Applause.) I ask you to make the same commitment. Together, we can restrain the spending appetite of the federal government, and we can balance the federal budget.Brilliant. Let's see it.
First, I propose a standard tax deduction for health insurance that will be like the standard tax deduction for dependents. Families with health insurance will pay no income on payroll tax -- or payroll taxes on $15,000 of their income. Single Americans with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $7,500 of their income.Here comes mean, heartless me, full in my belief that this isn't part of the government's enumerated jobs, either. Really, they'd do better by calling for and offering less tampering, such as getting laws out of the way that would let people actually... y'know... buy the insurance they want, rather than being restricted by legal requirements.
States that make basic private health insurance available to all their citizens should receive federal funds to help them provide this coverage to the poor and the sick.
(...)we cannot fully secure the border unless we take pressure off the border -- and that requires a temporary worker program. We should establish a legal and orderly path for foreign workers to enter our country to work on a temporary basis. As a result, they won't have to try to sneak in, and that will leave Border Agents free to chase down drug smugglers and criminals and terrorists.As far as it goes, it sounds good in theory. What is left unsaid, though, and is the real crux of this matter, is that it would be extended to people who already broke the law and entered the country illegally. There's a world of difference between people who would like to come in given a reasonable chance, and people who blatantly ignore the rule of law.
Now, I'll grant you, an argument could be made that we don't even need the temporary worker program. Still, if we were in a situation where we had to accept such a thing in turn for it not being applied to those who are already illegal... is that enough to accept it? Or is there a good reason for wanting to throw it out altogether that I just haven't come up with, or happened across?
We need to resolve the status of the illegal immigrants who are already in our country without animosity and without amnesty.It doesn't take animosity, or amnesty. It takes finding them, picking them up, and dropping them off back in the country they came from. Last time I checked, after all, the word illegal still meant something. Maybe not, though... I suppose it's possible that they pulled it from the dictionary around the same time they removed gullible.
We need to press on with battery research for plug-in and hybrid vehicles, and expand the use of clean diesel vehicles and biodiesel fuel. (Applause.) We must continue investing in new methods of producing ethanol -- (applause) -- using everything from wood chips to grasses, to agricultural wastes.Tell you what: There are a bunch of companies in this country who are in the business of energy. Let's get the government regulations out of their way and let them figure out how to solve our energy problems. I have a great deal more faith in their ability to do such a thing, and I have sneaking suspicions that the cost in dollars and time will be significantly lower, as well.
Tonight, I ask Congress to join me in pursuing a great goal. Let us build on the work we've done and reduce gasoline usage in the United States by 20 percent in the next 10 years. (Applause.) When we do that we will have cut our total imports by the equivalent of three-quarters of all the oil we now import from the Middle East.To reach this goal, we must increase the supply of alternative fuels, by setting a mandatory fuels standard to require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2017 -- and that is nearly five times the current target. (Applause.) At the same time, we need to reform and modernize fuel economy standards for cars the way we did for light trucks -- and conserve up to 8.5 billion more gallons of gasoline by 2017.
Let me say this right now, as a car guy, rather than a small-government conservative. Get your damned government regulations out of my car. The sludge passed off as fuel they call ethanol only contains 2/3rds as much power per gallon as regular old gasoline. It costs more in money and energy to produce, and it's more inefficient. Frankly, I twitch just thinkin' about it.
And to further protect America against severe disruptions to our oil supply, I ask Congress to double the current capacity of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.Why not triple or quadruple it while we're at it?
We have a shared obligation to ensure that the federal courts have enough judges to hear those cases and deliver timely rulings. As President, I have a duty to nominate qualified men and women to vacancies on the federal bench. And the United States Senate has a duty, as well, to give those nominees a fair hearing, and a prompt up-or-down vote on the Senate floor.Well, at least it's really one of their jobs. Unfortunately, the likelihood of any action being taken on this resides somewhere in that invisible margin between slim and none.
Our success in this war is often measured by the things that did not happen. We cannot know the full extent of the attacks that we and our allies have prevented, but here is some of what we do know: We stopped an al Qaeda plot to fly a hijacked airplane into the tallest building on the West Coast. We broke up a Southeast Asian terror cell grooming operatives for attacks inside the United States. We uncovered an al Qaeda cell developing anthrax to be used in attacks against America. And just last August, British authorities uncovered a plot to blow up passenger planes bound for America over the Atlantic Ocean. For each life saved, we owe a debt of gratitude to the brave public servants who devote their lives to finding the terrorists and stopping them.Can we make more of this, please? It's hard enough to find the good stories as it is, so it's certainly nice to hear about them.
These men are not given to idle words, and they are just one camp in the Islamist radical movement. In recent times, it has also become clear that we face an escalating danger from Shia extremists who are just as hostile to America, and are also determined to dominate the Middle East. Many are known to take direction from the regime in Iran, which is funding and arming terrorists like Hezbollah -- a group second only to al Qaeda in the American lives it has taken.Earlier, I made mention of some comments made by Neal Boortz. While a lot of them are well worth reading, this seems to put the lie to the concept that the president didn't properly name the threat in his speech. "Islamist radical (movement)", which one would assume to be made up of Islamist radicals, and so forth.The Shia and Sunni extremists are different faces of the same totalitarian threat. Whatever slogans they chant, when they slaughter the innocent they have the same wicked purposes. They want to kill Americans, kill democracy in the Middle East, and gain the weapons to kill on an even more horrific scale.
If American forces step back before Baghdad is secure, the Iraqi government would be overrun by extremists on all sides. We could expect an epic battle between Shia extremists backed by Iran, and Sunni extremists aided by al Qaeda and supporters of the old regime. A contagion of violence could spill out across the country -- and in time, the entire region could be drawn into the conflict.I can't understand why people refuse to understand this idea. The alternatives to what we are doing are not any better, and most of them end in scenarios a good sight worse.
American foreign policy is more than a matter of war and diplomacy. Our work in the world is also based on a timeless truth: To whom much is given, much is required. We hear the call to take on the challenges of hunger and poverty and disease -- and that is precisely what America is doing.May I have a moment to go bang my head against the wall? ... ... ... Thank you. I don't really feel better, but at least now I can blame the source of my growing headache on the fact that I just banged my head against a wall. Here comes the broken record again: This is not the job of the United States government. There are plenty of private charities who see to this sort of thing, with less bureaucracy, and fewer overhead costs. This may strike some people as a radical idea, but what if government got out of people's pockets to the extent that they're in them to pay for this sort of thing, and we'll see people who have that extra money that they can then give to such charities if they so choose.
When America serves others in this way, we show the strength and generosity of our country. These deeds reflect the character of our people.What generosity is forced generosity, exactly? If you have no choice in whether or not the money is donated, then is it really generous, or a donation at all?
The stories that the president ended on really are quite inspiring. I would certainly suggest reading them, if you haven't had a chance to do so.
Short Shots
The Hotline, a blog affiliated with the National Journal, says that "freshmen" is out and "new" is in for referring to the freshman class of electees. I've seen some pretty meaningless semantics in my time, but this one has to rank up there.
In checking around on how people found me, I noticed that one person had gone so far as to translate my page into Japanese via Google for their reading pleasure. Problem was, any time that I'd used any Japanese, it came out wholly garbled as incomprehensible gibberish. On the plus side, however, I took a look at the blog roll, and noticed that Google's translation had completely kanjified the link to the Radio Patriots, as follows: 無線の愛国者 (Musen no Aikokusha, musen being the word for wireless or radio, and aikokusha being patriots, or those who love their country).
In continuation of the above, something interesting happened on the way to translating the title tag. Hakkiri Shinasai remained unchanged, but the Please Make It Clear portion was actually translated as "Sore wo meikaku ni sasenasai".
Every time I see a story about how Americans are spending more time on the computer than they are with their family (such as this one from the Denver Post), I get the feeling that I'm skewing the curve for you all.
Just when you think you've seen everything, you find out that police in Tijuana are having their firearms confiscated and replaced with slingshots. Granted, the issue at hand is serious enough for Tijuana, but on the face of it, there's something amusing about the mental image.
Having been a sometimes writer as a hobby, I have to hand it to this guy, who managed to convince a publishing house to turn out copy of a novel done entirely as text messages, including crappy spelling and grammar. It should probably go without saying that I have no desire to read such a thing, however... (but I said it anyway, in the interest of completeness.)
For those who like shooters for the PC, I'd highly suggest this site. Demos of various games, and freebie full versions where applicable. If I might make a couple of suggestions, Perfect Cherry Blossom is, in my estimation, the best of the Touhou top-shooters. There is a fan translation patch that works on the demo here. Other worthy contenders for playtime are (though certainly not limited to these alone) Tyrian 2000, Warning Forever, and any of the other Touhou top-shooters that happen to be laying about there.
In checking around on how people found me, I noticed that one person had gone so far as to translate my page into Japanese via Google for their reading pleasure. Problem was, any time that I'd used any Japanese, it came out wholly garbled as incomprehensible gibberish. On the plus side, however, I took a look at the blog roll, and noticed that Google's translation had completely kanjified the link to the Radio Patriots, as follows: 無線の愛国者 (Musen no Aikokusha, musen being the word for wireless or radio, and aikokusha being patriots, or those who love their country).
In continuation of the above, something interesting happened on the way to translating the title tag. Hakkiri Shinasai remained unchanged, but the Please Make It Clear portion was actually translated as "Sore wo meikaku ni sasenasai".
Every time I see a story about how Americans are spending more time on the computer than they are with their family (such as this one from the Denver Post), I get the feeling that I'm skewing the curve for you all.
Just when you think you've seen everything, you find out that police in Tijuana are having their firearms confiscated and replaced with slingshots. Granted, the issue at hand is serious enough for Tijuana, but on the face of it, there's something amusing about the mental image.
Having been a sometimes writer as a hobby, I have to hand it to this guy, who managed to convince a publishing house to turn out copy of a novel done entirely as text messages, including crappy spelling and grammar. It should probably go without saying that I have no desire to read such a thing, however... (but I said it anyway, in the interest of completeness.)
For those who like shooters for the PC, I'd highly suggest this site. Demos of various games, and freebie full versions where applicable. If I might make a couple of suggestions, Perfect Cherry Blossom is, in my estimation, the best of the Touhou top-shooters. There is a fan translation patch that works on the demo here. Other worthy contenders for playtime are (though certainly not limited to these alone) Tyrian 2000, Warning Forever, and any of the other Touhou top-shooters that happen to be laying about there.
2007/01/24
State of the Union
Due to work, I haven't had a chance to go over the speech in full yet myself. However, Neal Boortz has already gone over the text, and has a few insights I wish he didn't have to share, regarding freedom, liberty, security, democracy, and republic.
The obligatory link: State of the Union Speech
The obligatory link: State of the Union Speech
So You Want To Learn Japanese?
There are several reasons I've heard for wanting to learn the language, and pretty much all of them were represented in the J103 class I took a year or so back. The people who have to learn it for work will do so whether they actually enjoy the language or not. The best advice for them really is classroom learning, due to the structured environment, and the fact that the teacher isn't likely to teach outside of the niceties.
For everyone that does not apply to, however, I can try to offer a little advice.
First and foremost, if you don't have a reason better than "well, I just kinda want to", I wouldn't really suggest trying. Learning any language, not just Japanese, isn't something that you can put on a hobby level akin to building models. The reasoning for this seems simple enough - that being, doing something outside of necessity requires a good helping of self-motivation... and unlike watching that model boat take shape (a tangible motivation), learning a language "just because" does not offer such immediate rewards. There were many people like this in J103, and not a single one of them went on to J104. (The caveat to this, of course, would be the person for whom learning other languages is a hobby.)
The interest has to come first. Sure, it sounds simple, and I suppose it is, but it's still a true enough statement for all that. My interest (unsurprisingly, amongst the kid through twenty-something age group) started with anime and manga, so I got into the language with that in mind.
Here's how I got as far as I have so far, in order, to the best of my recollection. Note that I don't really suggest going about learning the language this way, unless it's truly incidental to the enjoyment of entertainment of Japanese origin. You could call the following the hard way, or the scenic route, depending on your preference.
Some time in 1996, two of my friends independently suggested a couple of anime to me. At the time, I had no idea what made it different (we all watched English dubs in those days, since dub/sub did not come on the same VHS... yes, VHS tape, and the Japanese with subtitles version cost an additional ten bucks a pop), other than that it was generally much less episodic than what was normally shown in the various afternoon cartoon blocs. This appealed greatly, since it struck me as more akin to novels, as opposed to the short story structure of the cartoons of the day.
Two years later, give or take a few months, I started my first attempt at translating a manga. It almost goes without saying that I made negligible headway on that project. Not that it was a bad idea, really, so much as that I made a bad choice as to which manga to try to translate.
From there, anime on video evolved to the new media, DVDs, and at that time, the English dub track and the Japanese track were included on the same product for the first time. I'd like to be able to say that we made the choice due to some high-minded idea like wanting to watch the shows in their original form, but it's far more likely that we were just sick of hearing the same English voices miscast time after time, and switched to the Japanese language track for a change.
The rest went rather as one might expect, given the circumstances. Picking up a word here, a word there, and finally building something that might be called a vocabulary... though, certainly not one to be used in polite company. A lot of the trick in J103 was remembering which words I knew that I shouldn't use. Other than that, though, I was probably over-prepared for an entry-level course.
So, how would I suggest going about this, having my own piecemeal experience to look back on?
1) Starting with your interest is fine, but once you know it's not a passing fad for you, start taking classes. If you're not sure where to look for such a thing, your local community college is probably the best place to start. If you have a choice in the matter, I'd also suggest getting a native speaker as your teacher.
2) After that, supplement your education with whatever sources of the language you can find. Japanese restaurants aren't a bad place to try out your education and vocabulary, either. Old subtitled samurai movies aren't bad, either, though you'll get a lot of archaic word usage in them.
3) For the written language, once you have a base of the hiragana and katakana systems, I'd suggest trying to translate manga. Aside from the amusing stories, manga for younger people also tend to include furigana, which are small hiragana (individual syllables - ひらがな, for instance, which are the four hiragana that make up the word "hiragana") to the right of the kanji (advanced ideograms - 漢字, for instance, which make up the word "kanji") which give the sound reading. This makes the kanji in question easier to look up in some instances, since you can search for it via the given hiragana reading, instead of trying to pick out parts of the kanji itself and looking the word up that way.
4) In addition to the above, try to find a good set of kanji flash cards. Working with these during commercial breaks of your favorite show or sporting event seems to work pretty well, in my experience. At the very least, you notice the commercials less.
For everyone that does not apply to, however, I can try to offer a little advice.
First and foremost, if you don't have a reason better than "well, I just kinda want to", I wouldn't really suggest trying. Learning any language, not just Japanese, isn't something that you can put on a hobby level akin to building models. The reasoning for this seems simple enough - that being, doing something outside of necessity requires a good helping of self-motivation... and unlike watching that model boat take shape (a tangible motivation), learning a language "just because" does not offer such immediate rewards. There were many people like this in J103, and not a single one of them went on to J104. (The caveat to this, of course, would be the person for whom learning other languages is a hobby.)
The interest has to come first. Sure, it sounds simple, and I suppose it is, but it's still a true enough statement for all that. My interest (unsurprisingly, amongst the kid through twenty-something age group) started with anime and manga, so I got into the language with that in mind.
Here's how I got as far as I have so far, in order, to the best of my recollection. Note that I don't really suggest going about learning the language this way, unless it's truly incidental to the enjoyment of entertainment of Japanese origin. You could call the following the hard way, or the scenic route, depending on your preference.
Some time in 1996, two of my friends independently suggested a couple of anime to me. At the time, I had no idea what made it different (we all watched English dubs in those days, since dub/sub did not come on the same VHS... yes, VHS tape, and the Japanese with subtitles version cost an additional ten bucks a pop), other than that it was generally much less episodic than what was normally shown in the various afternoon cartoon blocs. This appealed greatly, since it struck me as more akin to novels, as opposed to the short story structure of the cartoons of the day.
Two years later, give or take a few months, I started my first attempt at translating a manga. It almost goes without saying that I made negligible headway on that project. Not that it was a bad idea, really, so much as that I made a bad choice as to which manga to try to translate.
From there, anime on video evolved to the new media, DVDs, and at that time, the English dub track and the Japanese track were included on the same product for the first time. I'd like to be able to say that we made the choice due to some high-minded idea like wanting to watch the shows in their original form, but it's far more likely that we were just sick of hearing the same English voices miscast time after time, and switched to the Japanese language track for a change.
The rest went rather as one might expect, given the circumstances. Picking up a word here, a word there, and finally building something that might be called a vocabulary... though, certainly not one to be used in polite company. A lot of the trick in J103 was remembering which words I knew that I shouldn't use. Other than that, though, I was probably over-prepared for an entry-level course.
So, how would I suggest going about this, having my own piecemeal experience to look back on?
1) Starting with your interest is fine, but once you know it's not a passing fad for you, start taking classes. If you're not sure where to look for such a thing, your local community college is probably the best place to start. If you have a choice in the matter, I'd also suggest getting a native speaker as your teacher.
2) After that, supplement your education with whatever sources of the language you can find. Japanese restaurants aren't a bad place to try out your education and vocabulary, either. Old subtitled samurai movies aren't bad, either, though you'll get a lot of archaic word usage in them.
3) For the written language, once you have a base of the hiragana and katakana systems, I'd suggest trying to translate manga. Aside from the amusing stories, manga for younger people also tend to include furigana, which are small hiragana (individual syllables - ひらがな, for instance, which are the four hiragana that make up the word "hiragana") to the right of the kanji (advanced ideograms - 漢字, for instance, which make up the word "kanji") which give the sound reading. This makes the kanji in question easier to look up in some instances, since you can search for it via the given hiragana reading, instead of trying to pick out parts of the kanji itself and looking the word up that way.
4) In addition to the above, try to find a good set of kanji flash cards. Working with these during commercial breaks of your favorite show or sporting event seems to work pretty well, in my experience. At the very least, you notice the commercials less.
2007/01/23
It Just Takes One Idiot... And A Bunch Of Enablers
The obligatory link: Unilever sends knives to families, children hurt
Y'know, just once, I'd like to be in the meetings where people discuss how to try to drum up more business by sending out random stuff in the mail. After all, plain old letters don't cut it anymore, and coupons are almost as cliche. So, ladies and gentlemen, what else could we possibly send to our mailing list of consumers to entice them to buy more of our margarine? A pen? Nah... A keychain? What are we, a tourist destination? I know, I know! A knife! They can use it to spread the margarine!
How is it that the people in the room don't collectively smack their hands into their foreheads upon hearing something like that? Leaving aside the safety implications, which obviously came up, what person in their right mind is going to attach "knife" to "brand XYZ margarine"?
Marketing... go figure.
Y'know, just once, I'd like to be in the meetings where people discuss how to try to drum up more business by sending out random stuff in the mail. After all, plain old letters don't cut it anymore, and coupons are almost as cliche. So, ladies and gentlemen, what else could we possibly send to our mailing list of consumers to entice them to buy more of our margarine? A pen? Nah... A keychain? What are we, a tourist destination? I know, I know! A knife! They can use it to spread the margarine!
How is it that the people in the room don't collectively smack their hands into their foreheads upon hearing something like that? Leaving aside the safety implications, which obviously came up, what person in their right mind is going to attach "knife" to "brand XYZ margarine"?
Marketing... go figure.
2007/01/22
Japanese of the Week
I didn't get a chance to do this last week, so rather than try to pass off the translation of the Cyril card trick as one, I'll just do two this week.
一寸 (chotto) adv,int. - just a minute; short time; just a little; hey!
It's very rare to see this printed in kanji, honestly. Much more likely is to see it as ちょっと (in hiragana). Really, chotto is one of those incredibly common words... which brings to mind a sensei-ism. "Chotto is almighty."
To explain, chotto is the word you use to trail off a sentence rather than coming right out and saying something. The power, or, should I say, the almightiness, of it is that it spares the speaker of the need to offer a real explanation... at least, as a matter of Japanese. I'm not even sure of the level of verbal gymnastics that would be required to get around chotto in a polite setting.
Oh, on a note related to the language, I found that while I cannot copy/paste directly from JWPce into the Blogger compose box, I can circumvent it by going from JWPce to Notepad to the compose box. (Note that this requires your computer to have support for Japanese characters.)
一寸 (chotto) adv,int. - just a minute; short time; just a little; hey!
It's very rare to see this printed in kanji, honestly. Much more likely is to see it as ちょっと (in hiragana). Really, chotto is one of those incredibly common words... which brings to mind a sensei-ism. "Chotto is almighty."
To explain, chotto is the word you use to trail off a sentence rather than coming right out and saying something. The power, or, should I say, the almightiness, of it is that it spares the speaker of the need to offer a real explanation... at least, as a matter of Japanese. I'm not even sure of the level of verbal gymnastics that would be required to get around chotto in a polite setting.
Oh, on a note related to the language, I found that while I cannot copy/paste directly from JWPce into the Blogger compose box, I can circumvent it by going from JWPce to Notepad to the compose box. (Note that this requires your computer to have support for Japanese characters.)
So, Who's Miserable?
The obligatory link: Most miserable day of the year
On one level, I can understand the need of some people to be able to quantify something like misery with a number. Not that it helps them do anything with it, mind you, other than being able to think, "Well, at least I'm not as miserable as I was back in XYZ..."
Here's the (supposedly) relevant formula:
Dr Arnalls’ formula is 1/8W+(D-d) 3/8xTQ MxNA.
Take, for instance W (weather). What's the range for weather? Is a sunny day a 1? A 10? How about if it's cloudy, but not raining or snowing? How about taking the first letter from the word for the given weather and converting it into its equivalent number? (Cloudy would be 3, on that scale, for instance.)
Debt and money due in pay in January are easy, and it's probably safe to assume that the formula wants time since Christmas in days, as well as time since failed quit attempt. But how are we supposed to turn general motivational levels and the need to take action into numeric values?
I suppose the rest of us will have to rely on more seat-of-the-pants calculations... And by those calcs, I'm feelin' pretty good.
On one level, I can understand the need of some people to be able to quantify something like misery with a number. Not that it helps them do anything with it, mind you, other than being able to think, "Well, at least I'm not as miserable as I was back in XYZ..."
Here's the (supposedly) relevant formula:
Dr Arnalls’ formula is 1/8W+(D-d) 3/8xTQ MxNA.
Key - W: Weather. D: Debt. d: Money due in January pay. T: Time since Christmas. Q: Time since failed quit attempt. M: General motivational levels. NA: The need to take action.
Now, what I wanted to do was plug things into the formula, just for kicks. However, as you may've noticed if you looked at it, there are a lot of variables that are unworkable without an understanding of their normal range.Take, for instance W (weather). What's the range for weather? Is a sunny day a 1? A 10? How about if it's cloudy, but not raining or snowing? How about taking the first letter from the word for the given weather and converting it into its equivalent number? (Cloudy would be 3, on that scale, for instance.)
Debt and money due in pay in January are easy, and it's probably safe to assume that the formula wants time since Christmas in days, as well as time since failed quit attempt. But how are we supposed to turn general motivational levels and the need to take action into numeric values?
I suppose the rest of us will have to rely on more seat-of-the-pants calculations... And by those calcs, I'm feelin' pretty good.
2007/01/19
Cyril's Fish Tank Trick - A (Rough) Translation
Yesterday, on Constitutional Public Radio (listen here, 3pm-5pm Eastern), a link to a rather impressive magic trick was given. Normally, that would be the end of the story. However, this particular clip happened to be in Japanese... so, taking an interest in it, I translated it, at least so far as my current skills and ability to weed one voice out of another (that darned announcer keeps talking over the magician...).
This is very much in the nature of a quick and dirty translation. I certainly can't guarantee 100% accuracy, but I've tried to mark the points of speculation to make that clear. Hopefully, it's at least readable. A short guide to it: Text in parenthesis is translated from Japanese speech or text. Anything in parenthesis following a double dash (--) is a translator's note, which ends with a (- Trans.).
With that in mind, please enjoy.
Text: 八景島のシー パラダイス が サプライズのステージ (Hakkeijima's Sea Paradise is the stage of the surprise.)
セロが務っかたのはアクア ミュセアム海の生き物かも (Cyril's trick may have something to do with the creatures kept here.)
たくさんの海洋生物そしてかそく？？の似合うこの氏族かんべい （カンベイ？） (The announcer is going on about the many creatures there. - Trans.)
Text: 前代未聞 空前絶後のサプライズが幕を開ける！！ (The announcer says the same thing. - Trans.)
Translation: Unprecedented First (and probably last!) unveiling of the trick!! (Kuuzenzetsugo is a noun meaning "so marvelous or horrible that it may be the first, and probably the last.)
Cyril: Hello. Konnichiwa. Bikkurishinaide kudasai. (Hello. Please don't be surprised.) Hello, hello.
Narrator: Okyaku-san wa atsumeru Cyril to iuma ni hito bakkari ga... (Cyril gathers up all the people in the area and...)
Text: 水族館にいるお客さんを集める (Gathering the people at the aquarium)
Narrator: 一体何を始めようというのか？ (Just what is about to happen?)
Text: 衆人環視の中 一体何を始めようというのか？ (In the midst of all these people, just what is about to happen?)
セロ： これから僕の一番好きマジックをここで披露したいと思います。(I would like to display my favorite magic trick here.)
Text: 一番好きマジックを披露します (Displaying his favorite trick.)
セロ： So, what's your name?
ゆこ： Yuko.
セロ： Yuko. Nice to meet you. Yuko, カード五十二枚あります。 一枚、どれでもいいです、選んで下さい。 (I have 52 cards here. Please, pick whichever of them you would like.)
セロ： Which one? Which one? Three of clubs. みつばの三です。 (The three of clubs.)
Text: 「みつば（クローバー）の３」です (The three of clubs. (Lit: The three of clovers.))
セロ： ゆこ、おねがいします、もって下さい。 名前を大きくかいって下さい。 (Yuko, please hold this, and write your name on it in large letters.)
Text: カードを一枚選び 名前を書かせる (One card is chosen, and she writes her name on it.)
Narrator: カードを一枚選ばせ、そして名前にかかせるセロ (She chooses one card, and writes her name on it as Sero requests.)
セロ： Great! これを書いたこのによくてせいかいで一枚しかないゆこさんのカードになりました。 ゆこ、もって下さい。 ではそんなところでストップ(something)。 (Great! Now, this otherwise normal card has been turned into Yuko-san's card. Yuko, please hold it again. Tell me to stop moving the cards at any time. -- the last line is mostly a guess based on the action in the video. - Trans.)
ゆこ： Stop.
セロ： もういってください。 (Please put it there.)
セロ： みなさん、ゆっくりお見ます。ゆこさんのカードです。まずは真中(something about shuffling the deck). (Everyone, please look closely. This is Yuko-san's card. First, I'm going to shuffle the deck.)
セロ： Okay? これからちょっと面白い方法を使って、ゆこさんのカードを探したいと思います。 (Okay? Now, using a slightly amusing method, I'm going to search for Yuko-san's card. -- The text on-screen is the same. - Trans.)
セロ： ゆこ、おねがいります、たのむちょっとカードをシャッフルとして下さい。 (Yuko, would you please shuffle the cards a bit?)
Text: セロが言うおもしろい方法とは？！ (What is Cyril's amazing method? -- The narrator says essentially the same thing. - Trans.)
セロ： 正確水族館にきてんので今日はこの水槽を使って、ゆこのカードをさがします。 (Now, starting in this aquarium, I'm going to use this fish tank to find Yuko's card.)
Text: 水槽を使って探します。 (Using the fish tank to search.)
セロ： じゃ、みなさん、(Now, everyone... (drowned out by the narration.))
Narrator: 360度全方位？？水槽を使うセロ、このちゅうしんにちゅうもくさせる (Now Cyril, surrounded on all sides, will perform his trick with the fish tank.)
Text: 360度全方位に観客がいる状況 (The spectators are all around him.)
セロ： You ready? いきます。 (Here I go.) One. Two. Three!
セロ： みなさん、一枚のカードはこの水槽のまなかにすいてしまいました。 (Everyone, one card is inside the fish tank.)
セロ： ゆこさんのカードです。 (It's Yuko-san's card.)
セロ： 取ってめくって下さい。 (Please, try to remove it from the glass. -- Text says the same. - Trans.)
セロ： 取れない。 (You can't take it.)
セロ： じつはきついただけではなく、じつは水槽の中に入っています。 (In truth, it isn't stuck to the outside of the tank. It's actually IN the tank.)
Text: 水槽の中に（カードが）入っています (The card is in the tank.)
Narrator: セロが飛ばしたカードは水槽の中に入ってしまった。(One of the cards that Cyril sent flying actually entered the tank! -- Text says the same. - Trans.)
セロ： Yuko-san, may I have your hand? ここをついてきて下さい。 みなさんがよかったらうしろの方にもって、 このカードを見て下さい。(Please follow me this way. Everyone, if you would, please come to the other side of the tank and look at the card.)
Narrator: 本当に彼女が選んだカードなのだろうか？ (Is it really the card that she chose?)
ゆこ： すご～い (Wow!)
セロ： ゆこさんのカードです。 (It's Yuko-san's card.)
Narrator: 彼女が選んだカードはクロバーの三。 そしてセロが選んだカードもクロバーの三。 (The card she picked was the three of clubs. And the card Cyril picked was... also the three of clubs.) そして、セロはそのカードは水槽の中に行ってしまった。 (Furthermore, the card that Cyril picked has entered the fish tank.)
Narrator: しかし、セロのサプライズはこれで終わりではなかった。 (However, Cyril's surprise did not end there. -- Text reads the same. - Trans.)
セロ： But wait. Wait. みなさん、もう一つどうしても見せたいんです。 (Everyone, there is one more thing that I'd like to show you.)
セロ： とうぞ見えないの方こちらの方にきて下さい。 Come over here. 見えない方 (Please, would the people on the far side of the tank come over here. Come over here. -- I assume he repeats himself again in Japanese at this point, but the narrator talks right over him again. Can't really understand one bit of what either of them are saying at that point. - Trans.)
Narrator: 。。。じょうきょうでわれわれは奇跡の瞬間を目撃する！！ (What kind of miracle are we going to witness now?)
セロ： このナプキンで拭くとどうなるか分かりますか？ (Do you know why I'm wiping the side of the tank with this napkin?)
セロ： 窓（ガラス）はきれいになります。 (So that the glass will be clean.)
セロ： Okay. じつは窓はきれいになるだけではなく、じつはこするとガラスが柔らかくなってきます。 (Okay. Really, I'm not doing it just so the glass will be clean. The truth is, I want to soften it up just a bit.)
Narrator: ガラスが柔らかくなるとは？ (Soften it up a bit? -- Text is the same. - Trans.)
Narrator: いったいどういうことなのか？ (What does he mean by that?)
Narrator: いけんするとガラスはふつうのかたいガラスにしか見えない。 (However you look at it, the glass looks like normal glass.)
セロ： Now watch.
Narrator: かみナプキンを水槽のガラスにかむせい、セロが上からガラスを？？はじめ。 するとガラスを？？？ (Placing the paper napkin on the glass wall of the fish tank, Cyril begins pressing on the glass from above. -- The next line has to be about him making headway into it. - Trans.)
Narrator: なんと水槽の中にセロの手いちのガラスを入ってしまった (Somehow, Cyril has put one hand through the wall of the fish tank!)
Text: 水槽の中に手を入れてしまった (One hand in the tank.)
Narrator: よくから見えとたしかにセロの手が水槽の中に入ってがくりんできる (Certainly, looking at it, Cyril has stretched one of his hands into the tank.)
Narrator: 手をどんどんと中にいれ、水槽のはんたいのガラスへ。。。その一枚のカードを手に取る。 やっぱり、カードはガラスをかんたんに水槽の内側に入っていた！ (He stretches his hand out slowly towards the far side of the tank... and takes the card in hand. As expected, the card was stuck to the inside of the glass wall of the tank!)
Text: カードは水槽の内側に入っていた (The card was inside the tank.)
Narrator: そして、カードを手にしたもら手はふたたびそとのせいぞう (And, card in hand, he pulls his arm safely back out of the tank.)
Crowd: すごい (Wow!)
Narrator: (Now, let's see that one more time. And recap it, naturally. - Trans.)
This is very much in the nature of a quick and dirty translation. I certainly can't guarantee 100% accuracy, but I've tried to mark the points of speculation to make that clear. Hopefully, it's at least readable. A short guide to it: Text in parenthesis is translated from Japanese speech or text. Anything in parenthesis following a double dash (--) is a translator's note, which ends with a (- Trans.).
With that in mind, please enjoy.
Text: 八景島のシー パラダイス が サプライズのステージ (Hakkeijima's Sea Paradise is the stage of the surprise.)
セロが務っかたのはアクア ミュセアム海の生き物かも (Cyril's trick may have something to do with the creatures kept here.)
たくさんの海洋生物そしてかそく？？の似合うこの氏族かんべい （カンベイ？） (The announcer is going on about the many creatures there. - Trans.)
Text: 前代未聞 空前絶後のサプライズが幕を開ける！！ (The announcer says the same thing. - Trans.)
Translation: Unprecedented First (and probably last!) unveiling of the trick!! (Kuuzenzetsugo is a noun meaning "so marvelous or horrible that it may be the first, and probably the last.)
Cyril: Hello. Konnichiwa. Bikkurishinaide kudasai. (Hello. Please don't be surprised.) Hello, hello.
Narrator: Okyaku-san wa atsumeru Cyril to iuma ni hito bakkari ga... (Cyril gathers up all the people in the area and...)
Text: 水族館にいるお客さんを集める (Gathering the people at the aquarium)
Narrator: 一体何を始めようというのか？ (Just what is about to happen?)
Text: 衆人環視の中 一体何を始めようというのか？ (In the midst of all these people, just what is about to happen?)
セロ： これから僕の一番好きマジックをここで披露したいと思います。(I would like to display my favorite magic trick here.)
Text: 一番好きマジックを披露します (Displaying his favorite trick.)
セロ： So, what's your name?
ゆこ： Yuko.
セロ： Yuko. Nice to meet you. Yuko, カード五十二枚あります。 一枚、どれでもいいです、選んで下さい。 (I have 52 cards here. Please, pick whichever of them you would like.)
セロ： Which one? Which one? Three of clubs. みつばの三です。 (The three of clubs.)
Text: 「みつば（クローバー）の３」です (The three of clubs. (Lit: The three of clovers.))
セロ： ゆこ、おねがいします、もって下さい。 名前を大きくかいって下さい。 (Yuko, please hold this, and write your name on it in large letters.)
Text: カードを一枚選び 名前を書かせる (One card is chosen, and she writes her name on it.)
Narrator: カードを一枚選ばせ、そして名前にかかせるセロ (She chooses one card, and writes her name on it as Sero requests.)
セロ： Great! これを書いたこのによくてせいかいで一枚しかないゆこさんのカードになりました。 ゆこ、もって下さい。 ではそんなところでストップ(something)。 (Great! Now, this otherwise normal card has been turned into Yuko-san's card. Yuko, please hold it again. Tell me to stop moving the cards at any time. -- the last line is mostly a guess based on the action in the video. - Trans.)
ゆこ： Stop.
セロ： もういってください。 (Please put it there.)
セロ： みなさん、ゆっくりお見ます。ゆこさんのカードです。まずは真中(something about shuffling the deck). (Everyone, please look closely. This is Yuko-san's card. First, I'm going to shuffle the deck.)
セロ： Okay? これからちょっと面白い方法を使って、ゆこさんのカードを探したいと思います。 (Okay? Now, using a slightly amusing method, I'm going to search for Yuko-san's card. -- The text on-screen is the same. - Trans.)
セロ： ゆこ、おねがいります、たのむちょっとカードをシャッフルとして下さい。 (Yuko, would you please shuffle the cards a bit?)
Text: セロが言うおもしろい方法とは？！ (What is Cyril's amazing method? -- The narrator says essentially the same thing. - Trans.)
セロ： 正確水族館にきてんので今日はこの水槽を使って、ゆこのカードをさがします。 (Now, starting in this aquarium, I'm going to use this fish tank to find Yuko's card.)
Text: 水槽を使って探します。 (Using the fish tank to search.)
セロ： じゃ、みなさん、(Now, everyone... (drowned out by the narration.))
Narrator: 360度全方位？？水槽を使うセロ、このちゅうしんにちゅうもくさせる (Now Cyril, surrounded on all sides, will perform his trick with the fish tank.)
Text: 360度全方位に観客がいる状況 (The spectators are all around him.)
セロ： You ready? いきます。 (Here I go.) One. Two. Three!
セロ： みなさん、一枚のカードはこの水槽のまなかにすいてしまいました。 (Everyone, one card is inside the fish tank.)
セロ： ゆこさんのカードです。 (It's Yuko-san's card.)
セロ： 取ってめくって下さい。 (Please, try to remove it from the glass. -- Text says the same. - Trans.)
セロ： 取れない。 (You can't take it.)
セロ： じつはきついただけではなく、じつは水槽の中に入っています。 (In truth, it isn't stuck to the outside of the tank. It's actually IN the tank.)
Text: 水槽の中に（カードが）入っています (The card is in the tank.)
Narrator: セロが飛ばしたカードは水槽の中に入ってしまった。(One of the cards that Cyril sent flying actually entered the tank! -- Text says the same. - Trans.)
セロ： Yuko-san, may I have your hand? ここをついてきて下さい。 みなさんがよかったらうしろの方にもって、 このカードを見て下さい。(Please follow me this way. Everyone, if you would, please come to the other side of the tank and look at the card.)
Narrator: 本当に彼女が選んだカードなのだろうか？ (Is it really the card that she chose?)
ゆこ： すご～い (Wow!)
セロ： ゆこさんのカードです。 (It's Yuko-san's card.)
Narrator: 彼女が選んだカードはクロバーの三。 そしてセロが選んだカードもクロバーの三。 (The card she picked was the three of clubs. And the card Cyril picked was... also the three of clubs.) そして、セロはそのカードは水槽の中に行ってしまった。 (Furthermore, the card that Cyril picked has entered the fish tank.)
Narrator: しかし、セロのサプライズはこれで終わりではなかった。 (However, Cyril's surprise did not end there. -- Text reads the same. - Trans.)
セロ： But wait. Wait. みなさん、もう一つどうしても見せたいんです。 (Everyone, there is one more thing that I'd like to show you.)
セロ： とうぞ見えないの方こちらの方にきて下さい。 Come over here. 見えない方 (Please, would the people on the far side of the tank come over here. Come over here. -- I assume he repeats himself again in Japanese at this point, but the narrator talks right over him again. Can't really understand one bit of what either of them are saying at that point. - Trans.)
Narrator: 。。。じょうきょうでわれわれは奇跡の瞬間を目撃する！！ (What kind of miracle are we going to witness now?)
セロ： このナプキンで拭くとどうなるか分かりますか？ (Do you know why I'm wiping the side of the tank with this napkin?)
セロ： 窓（ガラス）はきれいになります。 (So that the glass will be clean.)
セロ： Okay. じつは窓はきれいになるだけではなく、じつはこするとガラスが柔らかくなってきます。 (Okay. Really, I'm not doing it just so the glass will be clean. The truth is, I want to soften it up just a bit.)
Narrator: ガラスが柔らかくなるとは？ (Soften it up a bit? -- Text is the same. - Trans.)
Narrator: いったいどういうことなのか？ (What does he mean by that?)
Narrator: いけんするとガラスはふつうのかたいガラスにしか見えない。 (However you look at it, the glass looks like normal glass.)
セロ： Now watch.
Narrator: かみナプキンを水槽のガラスにかむせい、セロが上からガラスを？？はじめ。 するとガラスを？？？ (Placing the paper napkin on the glass wall of the fish tank, Cyril begins pressing on the glass from above. -- The next line has to be about him making headway into it. - Trans.)
Narrator: なんと水槽の中にセロの手いちのガラスを入ってしまった (Somehow, Cyril has put one hand through the wall of the fish tank!)
Text: 水槽の中に手を入れてしまった (One hand in the tank.)
Narrator: よくから見えとたしかにセロの手が水槽の中に入ってがくりんできる (Certainly, looking at it, Cyril has stretched one of his hands into the tank.)
Narrator: 手をどんどんと中にいれ、水槽のはんたいのガラスへ。。。その一枚のカードを手に取る。 やっぱり、カードはガラスをかんたんに水槽の内側に入っていた！ (He stretches his hand out slowly towards the far side of the tank... and takes the card in hand. As expected, the card was stuck to the inside of the glass wall of the tank!)
Text: カードは水槽の内側に入っていた (The card was inside the tank.)
Narrator: そして、カードを手にしたもら手はふたたびそとのせいぞう (And, card in hand, he pulls his arm safely back out of the tank.)
Crowd: すごい (Wow!)
Narrator: (Now, let's see that one more time. And recap it, naturally. - Trans.)
2007/01/18
Swastika Hijacking?
The obligatory link: Hindus opposing EU swastika ban
A friend of mine linked me to this last night, and I couldn't help but be interested. I mean, it's not every day that you hear about people standing up in defense of something so closely associated in the minds of people with the Nazis, even if the people in question were using it long beforehand.
On closer reading, particularly from the Wikipedia entry on the subject, it appears that the ban of the image in Germany does not include religious usages. The question then becomes, is that same exception carved out in the ban being put forth to the EU, as the only wording I've found on it is rather vague.
A friend of mine linked me to this last night, and I couldn't help but be interested. I mean, it's not every day that you hear about people standing up in defense of something so closely associated in the minds of people with the Nazis, even if the people in question were using it long beforehand.
On closer reading, particularly from the Wikipedia entry on the subject, it appears that the ban of the image in Germany does not include religious usages. The question then becomes, is that same exception carved out in the ban being put forth to the EU, as the only wording I've found on it is rather vague.
2007/01/17
One For The Good News Files
The obligatory link: Afghan civilians stop terror attack at U.S. base
Honestly, I was rather surprised to happen across this while perusing news sources this morning. Pleasantly surprised, of course. After all, hardly a day goes by that there isn't a headline from some news agency of a suicide bombing killing or injuring people somewhere... So nice to see one averted, and in a spectacular manner at that.
Honestly, I was rather surprised to happen across this while perusing news sources this morning. Pleasantly surprised, of course. After all, hardly a day goes by that there isn't a headline from some news agency of a suicide bombing killing or injuring people somewhere... So nice to see one averted, and in a spectacular manner at that.
Sick, Twisted Scam - Be Forewarned
The obligatory link: New Phisher Tactic: Pay Me Or I'll Kill You
From the same kind of low-life scum that cooked up the Nigerian e-mail scam, undoubtedly. Not to mention, yet another good reason not to open e-mail if you don't know the sender.
In any event, since the article was so good as to give us a sample of the main body of the scam mail in question, we can do something about it without having ever received one personally. If you don't know the general procedure to set up rules in Outlook, please refer to this post. Now, instead of checking the box "which has an attachment", we're going to choose "with specific words in the body". Adding a couple of the phrases from the mail in question will do. I'd choose "Do not contact the police" and "I turned out to be a betrayer", since they're not so common that they might accidentally filter legitimate mails from people, but the choice is yours. Continue with the rest of setting up a rule, and apply it.
From the same kind of low-life scum that cooked up the Nigerian e-mail scam, undoubtedly. Not to mention, yet another good reason not to open e-mail if you don't know the sender.
In any event, since the article was so good as to give us a sample of the main body of the scam mail in question, we can do something about it without having ever received one personally. If you don't know the general procedure to set up rules in Outlook, please refer to this post. Now, instead of checking the box "which has an attachment", we're going to choose "with specific words in the body". Adding a couple of the phrases from the mail in question will do. I'd choose "Do not contact the police" and "I turned out to be a betrayer", since they're not so common that they might accidentally filter legitimate mails from people, but the choice is yours. Continue with the rest of setting up a rule, and apply it.
2007/01/16
Delay Dementia By Four Years?
The obligatory link: Bilingualism has protective effect in delaying onset of dementia by four years, Canadian study shows
It's an interesting idea, I suppose. Of course, they don't say what constitutes real "lifelong use of two languages". Does picking up a second language at seventeen count? (And if it does, does that make me an honorary member of the juunana sai cult?)
Looking down the article, it takes better than half the article to finally get to the real statistical value of the study... a whole 184 people. So, file this one under "more research is needed", I suppose.
It's an interesting idea, I suppose. Of course, they don't say what constitutes real "lifelong use of two languages". Does picking up a second language at seventeen count? (And if it does, does that make me an honorary member of the juunana sai cult?)
Looking down the article, it takes better than half the article to finally get to the real statistical value of the study... a whole 184 people. So, file this one under "more research is needed", I suppose.
Things Worth Seeing
A few things worth your reading time, if I may... Not in any particular order, but if you're only going to read one, it really ought to be the first one.
From the Radio Patriots, Mark and Andrea, the obligatory link #1: It always ends with one word.
From RealClearPolitics, the obligatory link #2: Thomas Sowell's Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene
From the Richmond TimesDispatch, the obligatory link #3: Non-father must pay past-due child support, Ark. court says
From KSTP Channel 5 (Minneapolis), the obligatory link #4: Kids kicked off bus (for speaking English!)
From the Radio Patriots, Mark and Andrea, the obligatory link #1: It always ends with one word.
From RealClearPolitics, the obligatory link #2: Thomas Sowell's Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene
From the Richmond TimesDispatch, the obligatory link #3: Non-father must pay past-due child support, Ark. court says
From KSTP Channel 5 (Minneapolis), the obligatory link #4: Kids kicked off bus (for speaking English!)
2007/01/15
A Cold Knight In London
I'm sorry, I know that was bad. Here's the obligatory link: U.K., Russia clash in a different kind of cold war
Following the link, there's a video of the game, including the very cool-looking (should be, they're ice, after all...) chess pieces. Unfortunately, you'll be treated to a thirty-second commercial first... Not much to be done about it.
Following the link, there's a video of the game, including the very cool-looking (should be, they're ice, after all...) chess pieces. Unfortunately, you'll be treated to a thirty-second commercial first... Not much to be done about it.
2007/01/12
Japanese of the Week
困る (komaru) v. - to be worried; to be bothered
Often used as "これは困る" (kore wa komaru) meaning, roughly, "That's worrisome." or "That's a problem." Exactly the kind of phrase to bring out if someone says, "Y'know, we're about to run out of gas."
Often used as "これは困る" (kore wa komaru) meaning, roughly, "That's worrisome." or "That's a problem." Exactly the kind of phrase to bring out if someone says, "Y'know, we're about to run out of gas."
On Iraq, Generally
The obligatory link #1: US raid on Iranian office "unacceptable": Russia
First off, what's Russia got to do with it, really? It certainly wasn't their office, anyway. Instead, it's just another chance for them to be chummy with Iran. Not that anyone should be surprised at this point about any country taking whatever side is opposite the U.S. in a dispute, but still...
The obligatory link #2: "US reinforcements will go home in coffins": Sadr aide
Sheikh Abdel Razzaq al-Nadawi, the new Baghdad Bob? "The American people have to prevent their sons from coming to Iraq or they may return in coffins." "This is not the first plan announced by Bush. All plans have failed and this plan will not be any better..."
Seriously, there are no American tanks in Baghdad, what? The infidel soldiers are committing suicide at the city limits, really? Some people just don't learn, do they...
First off, what's Russia got to do with it, really? It certainly wasn't their office, anyway. Instead, it's just another chance for them to be chummy with Iran. Not that anyone should be surprised at this point about any country taking whatever side is opposite the U.S. in a dispute, but still...
The obligatory link #2: "US reinforcements will go home in coffins": Sadr aide
Sheikh Abdel Razzaq al-Nadawi, the new Baghdad Bob? "The American people have to prevent their sons from coming to Iraq or they may return in coffins." "This is not the first plan announced by Bush. All plans have failed and this plan will not be any better..."
Seriously, there are no American tanks in Baghdad, what? The infidel soldiers are committing suicide at the city limits, really? Some people just don't learn, do they...
Watching The Drop In Reading Level
The obligatory link: State of Nature: Go Beyond Virtual
I can recall as far back as grade school English teachers bemoaning the fact that newspaper articles were being continually dumbed down so that people with less and less education could read them. Whether they were complaining about the papers becoming more accessible, or about the sad state of education, I was never quite sure. Still, being something of a gamer, I think I can safely state that the Seattle Post-Intelligencer hit a new low with this one.
"Pwned"? Really? C'mon, even Blogger's built in spell-checking function doesn't recognize that. Sure, I do, in that it's modern lingo, but that's hardly the point. Now, I suppose it could raise their incoming hits from Google, if people were so inclined to use "pwned" as a search term... but I can't think of any situation in which I'd be so inclined.
I can recall as far back as grade school English teachers bemoaning the fact that newspaper articles were being continually dumbed down so that people with less and less education could read them. Whether they were complaining about the papers becoming more accessible, or about the sad state of education, I was never quite sure. Still, being something of a gamer, I think I can safely state that the Seattle Post-Intelligencer hit a new low with this one.
"Pwned"? Really? C'mon, even Blogger's built in spell-checking function doesn't recognize that. Sure, I do, in that it's modern lingo, but that's hardly the point. Now, I suppose it could raise their incoming hits from Google, if people were so inclined to use "pwned" as a search term... but I can't think of any situation in which I'd be so inclined.
A North American Union? (part 3, Trying To Sift Through The Junk)
Yes, I'm still on this, unfortunate as that may be. This is really meant to be more of a preliminary "what I've found so far" while I try to keep digging, than anything else.
Are there really people out there who think such a thing is either a good idea, inevitable, or both? Sure. And are they agitating for it in any way? Yep. Google up one Robert A. Pastor and his book "Toward a North American Community" if you don't believe this.
Is there an active plan in the federal government to enact a North American Union? Not that I can tell. What I have found is a House Concurrent Resolution (number 487, of the 109th Congress, specifically), which was introduced on 9/28 of 2006, stating the following:
What about the NAFTA Superhighway, then? This is one I want to look into s'more, but from what little reading I've done, it looks like a pipe dream version of the North American SuperCorridor Coalition's improvement programs for existing interstates. From their open letter to congress:
And the Amero, or whatever name might be chosen for the consolidated North American currency? Frankly, I've slacked on this, primarily because it's the least worrisome to me if it were to come about. Since the dollar is just a government guarantee at this point anyway, changing the name of it, and using the same thing as Canada and Mexico... Maybe there are some deep, economic reasons not to do something like this, but I'm certainly not aware of them at the moment.
Here are my thoughts, as I have them collected at the moment:
Some people out there think this is a good idea. As far as various writers and bloggers have gone to expose that line of thought, good. It's certainly something that the public should be made aware of. Of course, most of them will probably just laugh and go back to their everyday lives, but that's life. Short version: Educating the citizenry about the possibility is a good thing.
On the other hand, attempting to tie this to the federal government or the Bush Administration in particular as some kind of underhanded way of setting up an NAU appears, at this point, to be speculation. As an abstract, it's possible, but I don't have any firm plank to lay on it as far as facts go. More to the point, if it's out there, I haven't found it yet. (Emphasis on the "yet" here. I'm not ruling out the possibility.)
Are there really people out there who think such a thing is either a good idea, inevitable, or both? Sure. And are they agitating for it in any way? Yep. Google up one Robert A. Pastor and his book "Toward a North American Community" if you don't believe this.
Is there an active plan in the federal government to enact a North American Union? Not that I can tell. What I have found is a House Concurrent Resolution (number 487, of the 109th Congress, specifically), which was introduced on 9/28 of 2006, stating the following:
- Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That--
- (1) the United States should not engage in the construction of a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Superhighway System;
- (2) the United States should not enter into a North American Union with Mexico and Canada; and
- (3) the President should indicate strong opposition to these or any other proposals that threaten the sovereignty of the United States.
What about the NAFTA Superhighway, then? This is one I want to look into s'more, but from what little reading I've done, it looks like a pipe dream version of the North American SuperCorridor Coalition's improvement programs for existing interstates. From their open letter to congress:
The “NASCO Corridor” is the existing infrastructure of Interstates 35, 29 and 94. No plans are in place for a mid-continent NAFTA Superhighway. Yes, it is true that since 1999, the federal government has directed more than $234 million in project funding towards the NASCO Corridor for current infrastructure improvements.
And the Amero, or whatever name might be chosen for the consolidated North American currency? Frankly, I've slacked on this, primarily because it's the least worrisome to me if it were to come about. Since the dollar is just a government guarantee at this point anyway, changing the name of it, and using the same thing as Canada and Mexico... Maybe there are some deep, economic reasons not to do something like this, but I'm certainly not aware of them at the moment.
Here are my thoughts, as I have them collected at the moment:
Some people out there think this is a good idea. As far as various writers and bloggers have gone to expose that line of thought, good. It's certainly something that the public should be made aware of. Of course, most of them will probably just laugh and go back to their everyday lives, but that's life. Short version: Educating the citizenry about the possibility is a good thing.
On the other hand, attempting to tie this to the federal government or the Bush Administration in particular as some kind of underhanded way of setting up an NAU appears, at this point, to be speculation. As an abstract, it's possible, but I don't have any firm plank to lay on it as far as facts go. More to the point, if it's out there, I haven't found it yet. (Emphasis on the "yet" here. I'm not ruling out the possibility.)
2007/01/11
Losing The Language? (round 2)
The obligatory link: English language getting Chinese twist
I've talked on this topic before, in a more serious way. Should it really be any surprise, though, in this day and age, that the language would change and adapt faster as it encounters other languages more directly, and in a shorter time frame? I'll say this, though... they can keep their kanji.
I've talked on this topic before, in a more serious way. Should it really be any surprise, though, in this day and age, that the language would change and adapt faster as it encounters other languages more directly, and in a shorter time frame? I'll say this, though... they can keep their kanji.
Think The SAT Is Bad?
The obligatory link: The Chopstick Test
We hear periodically about how this or that test is unfair to... take your pick of race, class, gender, age, or whatever else might come to mind. In that vein, I hope everyone can appreciate this story, about a school which uses a test of basic hashi, or chopsticks, skills as part of its screening process.
We hear periodically about how this or that test is unfair to... take your pick of race, class, gender, age, or whatever else might come to mind. In that vein, I hope everyone can appreciate this story, about a school which uses a test of basic hashi, or chopsticks, skills as part of its screening process.
2007/01/10
Science and Technology
A few disparate stories of interest, or at least amusement.
Obligatory link #1: Riddle of Homer's Odyssey island solved?
The short version: A group of Britons think they may well have found the location of the island of Ithaca.
Obligatory link #2: Hitachi develops system that reads what people think from their blood flow
The short version: They hope to adapt this knowledge into technology to allow the handicapped to control various devices by thought, after a fashion. Very cool.
Obligatory link #3: Doom for Hubble's iconic pillars
The short version: We won't see a visual difference for another thousand years, but the hydrogen formation referred to as the Pillars of Creation is almost certainly already destroyed. (Speed of light thing... The images are good, though.)
Obligatory link #4: Two charged with hacking into high school computers to fix grades
The short version: Are they going to go after Janek's little black box next? It's on the table, between the pencil jar and the lamp.
Obligatory link #1: Riddle of Homer's Odyssey island solved?
The short version: A group of Britons think they may well have found the location of the island of Ithaca.
Obligatory link #2: Hitachi develops system that reads what people think from their blood flow
The short version: They hope to adapt this knowledge into technology to allow the handicapped to control various devices by thought, after a fashion. Very cool.
Obligatory link #3: Doom for Hubble's iconic pillars
The short version: We won't see a visual difference for another thousand years, but the hydrogen formation referred to as the Pillars of Creation is almost certainly already destroyed. (Speed of light thing... The images are good, though.)
Obligatory link #4: Two charged with hacking into high school computers to fix grades
The short version: Are they going to go after Janek's little black box next? It's on the table, between the pencil jar and the lamp.
Time For More Spam Fighting
The obligatory link: "Image Spam" could bring the internet to a standstill
Well, the title is certainly overhyped. Beyond that, though, it offers a chance to hand out another tip or two to Outlook users as to how to sort out the junk.
The easy way about it is to go to Tools, Rules and Alerts, New Rule..., Start from a blank rule (radio button), Check messages when they arrive, Next, Step 1: Select condition(s), check the box "which has an attachment", Next, Step 1: Select action(s), check the box "move it to the specified folder", Step 2: Edit the rule description, click on the underlined word specified, select Junk E-mail from that list, Finish.
Now, if your friends send you mail with attachments, you can get around this by creating a new rule for each of their e-mail addresses that automatically puts a copy of any mail from them into the inbox (or any other specified folder), regardless of whether or not it would be sorted into Junk by the previous rule. To do this:
Tools, Rules and Alerts, New Rule..., Start creating a rule from a template, Step 1: Select a template, Move messages from someone to a folder, Step 2: Edit the rule description, click the underlined phrase "people or distribution list", input an address, OK, click the underlined word "specified", select Inbox (or the folder of your choice), OK, Next, Finish. Repeat as necessary until you've added all the people you so desire.
Alternatively, if your friends only send you large images, compared to the images in spam which, from my search through ~1000 in my Junk box, tend to be between 3k and 30k, you can add the condition "with a size in a specific range" to the first rule you created to filter mails with attachments to only filter out mails with small attachments. (The text generally will not account for a great deal of file size.) This is a more questionable tack to take, however, and I'd suggest just leaving it at the first two steps. Really, it depends on how inclined you are to play with the settings to get the results you desire.
Well, the title is certainly overhyped. Beyond that, though, it offers a chance to hand out another tip or two to Outlook users as to how to sort out the junk.
The easy way about it is to go to Tools, Rules and Alerts, New Rule..., Start from a blank rule (radio button), Check messages when they arrive, Next, Step 1: Select condition(s), check the box "which has an attachment", Next, Step 1: Select action(s), check the box "move it to the specified folder", Step 2: Edit the rule description, click on the underlined word specified, select Junk E-mail from that list, Finish.
Now, if your friends send you mail with attachments, you can get around this by creating a new rule for each of their e-mail addresses that automatically puts a copy of any mail from them into the inbox (or any other specified folder), regardless of whether or not it would be sorted into Junk by the previous rule. To do this:
Tools, Rules and Alerts, New Rule..., Start creating a rule from a template, Step 1: Select a template, Move messages from someone to a folder, Step 2: Edit the rule description, click the underlined phrase "people or distribution list", input an address, OK, click the underlined word "specified", select Inbox (or the folder of your choice), OK, Next, Finish. Repeat as necessary until you've added all the people you so desire.
Alternatively, if your friends only send you large images, compared to the images in spam which, from my search through ~1000 in my Junk box, tend to be between 3k and 30k, you can add the condition "with a size in a specific range" to the first rule you created to filter mails with attachments to only filter out mails with small attachments. (The text generally will not account for a great deal of file size.) This is a more questionable tack to take, however, and I'd suggest just leaving it at the first two steps. Really, it depends on how inclined you are to play with the settings to get the results you desire.
Medicating Society, and...
The obligatory link: Fido's Little Helper
I could hardly believe the headline, honestly. People are giving their pets prozac now? Really? Now, don't misunderstand me here. I get that people love their pets, and are willing to go to great lengths for them in many cases. But... prozac? The champion drug of millions of school kids... coming soon to a cat near you? If I hadn't sworn off emoticons for posting purposes, that one would earn a sweatdrop in no time.
I could hardly believe the headline, honestly. People are giving their pets prozac now? Really? Now, don't misunderstand me here. I get that people love their pets, and are willing to go to great lengths for them in many cases. But... prozac? The champion drug of millions of school kids... coming soon to a cat near you? If I hadn't sworn off emoticons for posting purposes, that one would earn a sweatdrop in no time.
2007/01/09
Short Shots
Due to Blogger downtime, all I've got is a few shorts for your reading pleasure.
Dunkin' denial leaves customer steaming - about a man who was refused service at the drivethrough... his vehicle was a motorized wheelchair.
Bangor makes it illegal to smoke in cars - Welcome to the continued advance of the nanny state.
The pros and cons of fighting in the NHL - In which John Buccigross pushes what may be an entertaining book entitled "The Code: The Unwritten Rules of Fighting and Retalition in the NHL."
Dunkin' denial leaves customer steaming - about a man who was refused service at the drivethrough... his vehicle was a motorized wheelchair.
Bangor makes it illegal to smoke in cars - Welcome to the continued advance of the nanny state.
The pros and cons of fighting in the NHL - In which John Buccigross pushes what may be an entertaining book entitled "The Code: The Unwritten Rules of Fighting and Retalition in the NHL."
2007/01/08
A North American Union? (part 2, the Corsi interview)
A quick recap of what I took away from the afternoon interview of Dr. Corsi on CPR:
The man has done a great deal of research into this topic, and honestly believes in what he's saying.
That said, he's still trying to connect various things together into the NAU mesh that seem more easily explainable as politically expedient (leaving the borders unsecured, for example) or grandiose for the sake of it (the T-T Corridor, and by extension, the consideration of the NAFTA Superhighway system). Again, that's not to say that these things cannot fit into the scheme of things. Simply, that it's a reason farther afield than one would normally go for motives for projects. Similarly, the charge that President Bush is working towards an NAU by allowing the open borders to continue. Possible, certainly. But how's this: It's easier to leave the border unsecured than to work towards its security. Doing nothing costs less money, and requires much less actual work, after all.
Dr. Corsi bounced around a bit during the interview, and tended to get exceptionally sidetracked from his points to go to his own defense against some of the recent articles against his point of view. It detracted from points he was trying to make throughout the forty-five minutes the interview ran.
Personally, I didn't get the connection of all of these points into a unified whole. It feels, as Pat put it, like "a big leap from what looks like diplomatic boilerplate to conspiracy to eliminate the U.S." I'll happily keep looking, but I haven't found the piece that fits in that void yet to create the circuit.
Anyone interested in hearing the interview, there will be a rebroadcast of the full CPR show at 9PM Eastern at 1510wwbc.com. The interview itself leads off the second hour and runs pretty much uninterrupted for 45 minutes. Naturally, I recommend listening for the same reasons that I give obligatory links instead of pasting in large chunks: No sleight of hand, and you value more the things that you work for.
As before, more to come.
The man has done a great deal of research into this topic, and honestly believes in what he's saying.
That said, he's still trying to connect various things together into the NAU mesh that seem more easily explainable as politically expedient (leaving the borders unsecured, for example) or grandiose for the sake of it (the T-T Corridor, and by extension, the consideration of the NAFTA Superhighway system). Again, that's not to say that these things cannot fit into the scheme of things. Simply, that it's a reason farther afield than one would normally go for motives for projects. Similarly, the charge that President Bush is working towards an NAU by allowing the open borders to continue. Possible, certainly. But how's this: It's easier to leave the border unsecured than to work towards its security. Doing nothing costs less money, and requires much less actual work, after all.
Dr. Corsi bounced around a bit during the interview, and tended to get exceptionally sidetracked from his points to go to his own defense against some of the recent articles against his point of view. It detracted from points he was trying to make throughout the forty-five minutes the interview ran.
Personally, I didn't get the connection of all of these points into a unified whole. It feels, as Pat put it, like "a big leap from what looks like diplomatic boilerplate to conspiracy to eliminate the U.S." I'll happily keep looking, but I haven't found the piece that fits in that void yet to create the circuit.
Anyone interested in hearing the interview, there will be a rebroadcast of the full CPR show at 9PM Eastern at 1510wwbc.com. The interview itself leads off the second hour and runs pretty much uninterrupted for 45 minutes. Naturally, I recommend listening for the same reasons that I give obligatory links instead of pasting in large chunks: No sleight of hand, and you value more the things that you work for.
As before, more to come.
A North American Union?
Friday was the first time I'd noticed the term. A North American Union (NAU) to rival the European Union. Frankly, it sounds unbelieveable at first glance, at least to me. Sure, there could be, and probably are people out there who think it'd be a great idea, and who would like to go forward with it. People against the idea cite it as the line of thought buried under such things as the Trans-Texas Corridor (a large roadway project in, naturally, Texas), and the workings of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPPNA; of which the stated goals are, from the Wiki article, 1) Cooperation and information sharing; 2) Improving productivity; 3) Reducing the costs of trade; and 4) Enhancing the joint stewardship of the environment, facilitating agricultural trade while creating a safer and more reliable food supply, and protecting people from disease.)
Now, frankly, that the T-T Corridor sounds like a road project to me, and the SPPNA sounds like a lot of government meddling wrapped around a core of security concerns that they probably should be working together closely on, given the current porousness of the borders, but I'm not seeing things here that read as "Let's actively merge the three countries and create an NAU." The fears of it, at the moment, seem a bit overblown. That's not saying that they can't be well-founded, but unfortunately, until the worry is timely, the chances are that it's going to be passed off as unfounded by the majority of people who'd rather not worry about a problem that doesn't exist.
To wit, recall the recent border or security issues and the way that the public has shaken out on them. Dubai Ports World, for example. Until it became a pressing, immediate issue, nothing was done or said, really. However, when the electorate realized it was an issue, they didn't let go of it until it was solved to their satisfaction. (Now, as individuals, some might not be actually satisfied with the outcome, but we're dealing on a larger scale at the moment.) Or, for another example, take the recent elections, with politicians practically falling over each other in their attempts to get to the right of their opponents on border security.
The fact is, the public at large doesn't seem ready or willing for such a radical change as the adoption of a North American Union. Equally, however, they are not far-sighted enough to see potential beginnings of such a thing and nip it in the bud. So, as I see it, if it's coming down the pike, we're not going to be trying to divert it until it'd require a great deal more effort... but it's an effort that'll be made.
(Note: I still want to do a lot more reading and study on this, so there will probably be further installations of posts on this NAU concept. One name I keep seeing come up, and really the only one that keeps being cited, is one Jerome Corsi. This one alone bears looking into, as in my initial readings, there has been almost sole reliance on his work on the matter.)
(Edit update: Pat, the Brainster, seems to be taking his licks at the issue over at his 'blog. Also, the man in question, Jerome Corsi, will be this afternoon's guest on Constitutional Public Radio, likely in the 4pm EST hour. I, for one, intend to be listening very closely.)
Now, frankly, that the T-T Corridor sounds like a road project to me, and the SPPNA sounds like a lot of government meddling wrapped around a core of security concerns that they probably should be working together closely on, given the current porousness of the borders, but I'm not seeing things here that read as "Let's actively merge the three countries and create an NAU." The fears of it, at the moment, seem a bit overblown. That's not saying that they can't be well-founded, but unfortunately, until the worry is timely, the chances are that it's going to be passed off as unfounded by the majority of people who'd rather not worry about a problem that doesn't exist.
To wit, recall the recent border or security issues and the way that the public has shaken out on them. Dubai Ports World, for example. Until it became a pressing, immediate issue, nothing was done or said, really. However, when the electorate realized it was an issue, they didn't let go of it until it was solved to their satisfaction. (Now, as individuals, some might not be actually satisfied with the outcome, but we're dealing on a larger scale at the moment.) Or, for another example, take the recent elections, with politicians practically falling over each other in their attempts to get to the right of their opponents on border security.
The fact is, the public at large doesn't seem ready or willing for such a radical change as the adoption of a North American Union. Equally, however, they are not far-sighted enough to see potential beginnings of such a thing and nip it in the bud. So, as I see it, if it's coming down the pike, we're not going to be trying to divert it until it'd require a great deal more effort... but it's an effort that'll be made.
(Note: I still want to do a lot more reading and study on this, so there will probably be further installations of posts on this NAU concept. One name I keep seeing come up, and really the only one that keeps being cited, is one Jerome Corsi. This one alone bears looking into, as in my initial readings, there has been almost sole reliance on his work on the matter.)
(Edit update: Pat, the Brainster, seems to be taking his licks at the issue over at his 'blog. Also, the man in question, Jerome Corsi, will be this afternoon's guest on Constitutional Public Radio, likely in the 4pm EST hour. I, for one, intend to be listening very closely.)
2007/01/05
Yesteryear's Sci-Fi Is...
The obligatory link: How things work: Electromagnetic catapults
As usual, it's exceptionally cool to watch things I've appreciated in the past as science fiction in the process of becoming science fact. Now, if we can just get the anthopomorphic robots to use with the EM catapults, we'll have something.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, we have this: Metamaterials found to work for visible light
The upshot here, amongst the many possible application of such things? Two words: Cloaking technology. C'mon, if that can't get the geek in you going, what can?
As usual, it's exceptionally cool to watch things I've appreciated in the past as science fiction in the process of becoming science fact. Now, if we can just get the anthopomorphic robots to use with the EM catapults, we'll have something.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, we have this: Metamaterials found to work for visible light
The upshot here, amongst the many possible application of such things? Two words: Cloaking technology. C'mon, if that can't get the geek in you going, what can?
Can We Build And Staff A Wall NOW?
The obligatory link: Guardsmen overrun at the border
Yeah, we don't need to effectively patrol our borders. Nothing bad'll happen if we don't. The people jumping it just want a fresh start in the land of opportunity...
Gimme a friggin' break. The sad part of this is that I have no illusions about the fact that it won't wake up anyone who didn't already realize that there's a problem with the porousness of the border to begin with.
Yeah, we don't need to effectively patrol our borders. Nothing bad'll happen if we don't. The people jumping it just want a fresh start in the land of opportunity...
Gimme a friggin' break. The sad part of this is that I have no illusions about the fact that it won't wake up anyone who didn't already realize that there's a problem with the porousness of the border to begin with.
2007/01/04
Food For Thought
The obligatory link: Frozen in time
I'm not going to try to comment on this one, primarily because I'm not sure how to go about doing so yet. However, it's certainly worth seeing and thinking about, so please read it.
I'm not going to try to comment on this one, primarily because I'm not sure how to go about doing so yet. However, it's certainly worth seeing and thinking about, so please read it.
Improving On Practice
The obligatory link: Robot mother helps South Koreans prepare for birth
No doubt about it, technology is cool. Be it searching out medical cures, flying halfway around the world in a couple of hours, or training doctors for delivering babies. The unfortunate part, of course, is that it's not any kind of remedy to the falling birth rates in the developed world. Still, with all the circumstances that can be simulated with this, without a doctor ever having to encounter it during an actual birth, the bonus to skill and knowledge is obvious.
No doubt about it, technology is cool. Be it searching out medical cures, flying halfway around the world in a couple of hours, or training doctors for delivering babies. The unfortunate part, of course, is that it's not any kind of remedy to the falling birth rates in the developed world. Still, with all the circumstances that can be simulated with this, without a doctor ever having to encounter it during an actual birth, the bonus to skill and knowledge is obvious.
2007/01/03
Please Make It Clear
The following is the definition of a "please make it clear" moment:
Going out with my little brother to grab a bite of lunch today, we got stuck behind a taxicab. Usual taxicab markings, numbers to call, various regional sports paraphernalia, and so forth. But, on the left end of the trunk were two words... "Police Interceptor".
So, is the cab moonlighting as a police interceptor, or is the police interceptor moonlighting as a cab?
Going out with my little brother to grab a bite of lunch today, we got stuck behind a taxicab. Usual taxicab markings, numbers to call, various regional sports paraphernalia, and so forth. But, on the left end of the trunk were two words... "Police Interceptor".
So, is the cab moonlighting as a police interceptor, or is the police interceptor moonlighting as a cab?
2007/01/02
Sickened By Music
Back on the 27th of December, I made reference to a story that some British busybodies were talking up Christmas music as torture. Well, I'd almost forgotten about the following story... probably would have if I hadn't bookmarked it, which seems to bookend it pretty well.
The obligatory link: 59-year-old woman given longer prison term for sickening neighbor with music
Of course, it wasn't Christmas music, to be best of my knowledge, but it's probably close enough for the standards of people who'd like to use international law in their decisions. Quick, somebody get Justice Breyer on the line... we could use his informed opinion.
The obligatory link: 59-year-old woman given longer prison term for sickening neighbor with music
Of course, it wasn't Christmas music, to be best of my knowledge, but it's probably close enough for the standards of people who'd like to use international law in their decisions. Quick, somebody get Justice Breyer on the line... we could use his informed opinion.
Japanese of the Week
Another easy pick for the week:
明けましておめでとう (akemashite omedetou) int. - Happy New Year
from 明ける (akeru) v. - To dawn, to become daylight
明けましておめでとう (akemashite omedetou) int. - Happy New Year
from 明ける (akeru) v. - To dawn, to become daylight
2006/12/29
Japanese of the Week
No, it's not too late to take care of the Japanese of the week. Today's word is really for amusement value, and the fact that it's a lot of fun to say.
ごろごろ (gorogoro) v - to rumble, to thunder, to roll about (people or large objects)
ごろごろ (gorogoro) v - to rumble, to thunder, to roll about (people or large objects)
Chess Is Serious Business
The obligatory link: Indian chess player caught in Bluetooth ploy
Don't get me wrong here, I'm not trying to belittle the game here at all. Chess is a great game. Still, the only thing surprising about finding out about a player cheating via technology is the fact that it took this long to occur (and be caught).
Now, if he'd just been the witting tool of the ghost of a long-dead master at the game, well... But that's another game entirely.
Don't get me wrong here, I'm not trying to belittle the game here at all. Chess is a great game. Still, the only thing surprising about finding out about a player cheating via technology is the fact that it took this long to occur (and be caught).
Now, if he'd just been the witting tool of the ghost of a long-dead master at the game, well... But that's another game entirely.
Safer Than Sharks
The Obligatory Link: Nuclear Power Safer Than Sharks
There is, of course, a pertinent quote to offer:
"The risk of dying in a nuclear disaster was below that of dying from smoking, driving, owning firearms, drowning, fire, electrocution and snake bites, the report said."
Now, the one thing I thought was conspicuous in its absence from the list was lightning strikes. I suppose I could make an allowance for that being lumped in with electrocution statistics... but, naturally, I'm not going to. Of course, due to the wonders of Wikipedia, and the thoughtful article writer, we can make a comparison.
From the article, "There have been 31 direct fatalities from nuclear reactors since 1969 – including the Chernobyl disaster", and "This did not take into account the estimated 4000 people who could eventually die from cancer caused by radiation exposure from the Chernobyl meltdown." So, we'll go with a nice, round 4000, since plus or minus 31 shouldn't put it outside the statistical variance. Compared to the ~6.5 billion people currently living (from the World Population entry on Wikipedia), that's a chance of one in 1.625 million. Divided over the 37-year span, it becomes one in 60.125 million instead.
Comparatively, from Wikipedia's entry on lightning, some 2000 people are struck by lightning per year, with an averaged fatality rate of 29%, for a total of 580 per year. Again, out of the world's population, that's one for every 11.2 million, approximately.
There is, of course, a pertinent quote to offer:
"The risk of dying in a nuclear disaster was below that of dying from smoking, driving, owning firearms, drowning, fire, electrocution and snake bites, the report said."
Now, the one thing I thought was conspicuous in its absence from the list was lightning strikes. I suppose I could make an allowance for that being lumped in with electrocution statistics... but, naturally, I'm not going to. Of course, due to the wonders of Wikipedia, and the thoughtful article writer, we can make a comparison.
From the article, "There have been 31 direct fatalities from nuclear reactors since 1969 – including the Chernobyl disaster", and "This did not take into account the estimated 4000 people who could eventually die from cancer caused by radiation exposure from the Chernobyl meltdown." So, we'll go with a nice, round 4000, since plus or minus 31 shouldn't put it outside the statistical variance. Compared to the ~6.5 billion people currently living (from the World Population entry on Wikipedia), that's a chance of one in 1.625 million. Divided over the 37-year span, it becomes one in 60.125 million instead.
Comparatively, from Wikipedia's entry on lightning, some 2000 people are struck by lightning per year, with an averaged fatality rate of 29%, for a total of 580 per year. Again, out of the world's population, that's one for every 11.2 million, approximately.
2006/12/28
Today in the World of Sub-Orbitals
The Obligatory Link: Supersonic Combustion for a Hypersonic Space Plane
It's always cool to see people now working on things that were yesteryear's science fiction. I mean, seriously, how cool is the thought of being able to go halfway around the world in two hours?
It's always cool to see people now working on things that were yesteryear's science fiction. I mean, seriously, how cool is the thought of being able to go halfway around the world in two hours?
Obscure Trivia
Name two stories, one from across each ocean, that meet all of the following points:
A boy with glasses and supernatural powers, adopted after his parents were killed, who is connected via a scar to an enemy bent on immortality.
The first ought to be obvious to most people with an ear open to the world of current events over the past eight years... the second one, decidedly less so.
A boy with glasses and supernatural powers, adopted after his parents were killed, who is connected via a scar to an enemy bent on immortality.
The first ought to be obvious to most people with an ear open to the world of current events over the past eight years... the second one, decidedly less so.
2006/12/27
A Time-Waster Is Fine, Too...
Here are a couple little time-wasting flash games for your enjoyment, or headache-inducement, whichever comes first:
Squares 2 - Best I've managed on this is ~12,900 points. It's not a great score, really...
Irritating Game - The point here is to keep both of the two balls in the air by controlling the paddles with your mouse or trackball. The trick is not to over-reach to save one, and thus lose the other. I know, it sounds easy, but I'm moderately proud of the 32.7 seconds I've managed to keep it going. It speeds up as time goes by, after all. Also, in the bottom left-hand corner, there's an option to switch between French and English language for the explanation.
Squares 2 - Best I've managed on this is ~12,900 points. It's not a great score, really...
Irritating Game - The point here is to keep both of the two balls in the air by controlling the paddles with your mouse or trackball. The trick is not to over-reach to save one, and thus lose the other. I know, it sounds easy, but I'm moderately proud of the 32.7 seconds I've managed to keep it going. It speeds up as time goes by, after all. Also, in the bottom left-hand corner, there's an option to switch between French and English language for the explanation.
And Now We Define Torture As...
The obligatory link: Endless carols endless torture, groups say
Wow, y'know, I got tortured an awful lot over the Christmas season, then... After all, I spent plenty of time with looped Christmas music going at the office (at least, while I wasn't listening to Constitutional Public Radio in the afternoons). Maybe that break is supposed to constitute it not being "torture", then?
Let's face facts, though: Most Christmas music is much higher-quality music than the stuff that gets piped into many of these stores the other eleven months out of the year. "No, spare me! I'm being assaulted by Bach, Mannheim Steamroller, and Trans-Siberian Orchestra! Whatever will I do?" It's so sigh-worthy that it's almost funny... in a perverse sort of way.
Wow, y'know, I got tortured an awful lot over the Christmas season, then... After all, I spent plenty of time with looped Christmas music going at the office (at least, while I wasn't listening to Constitutional Public Radio in the afternoons). Maybe that break is supposed to constitute it not being "torture", then?
Let's face facts, though: Most Christmas music is much higher-quality music than the stuff that gets piped into many of these stores the other eleven months out of the year. "No, spare me! I'm being assaulted by Bach, Mannheim Steamroller, and Trans-Siberian Orchestra! Whatever will I do?" It's so sigh-worthy that it's almost funny... in a perverse sort of way.
A Couple of Quick Quotes
"How many observe Christ's birth-day! How few, his precepts! O! 'tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments." -- Benjamin Franklin
"To restore... harmony,... to render us again one people acting as one nation should be the object of every man really a patriot." -- Thomas Jefferson
"To restore... harmony,... to render us again one people acting as one nation should be the object of every man really a patriot." -- Thomas Jefferson
2006/12/26
Christmas Recap
Don't worry, it's not about gifts.
The Merry Christmas Watch:
The only people I couldn't convince to say "Merry Christmas" were the folks at Borders. The rest of the sample was rather limited, of course, but it ended up about the way I expected... though, getting one out of the guys at GameStop was slightly surprising.
Christmas Programs:
Of course, it's difficult not to be most impressed by the St. Louis Bach Society's presentation. A 70-some member choir, plus a (relatively) small orchestra. Still, the two candlelight church services were nice, for a more close-knit atmosphere.
The Rush:
There really wasn't one, at least in my family. Sure, there were plenty of people out on the roads for the weekend lead-up, but not enough to really jam things up for people who just needed to get around normally.
Family:
Naturally, it's always nice to see people you don't often get to see, and Christmas is about the only time that happens anymore, since most of the extended family has long since moved out of state. And, since my mother calls him her third son, it was nice to see my "brother" who went off and joined the Navy three years ago.
The Merry Christmas Watch:
The only people I couldn't convince to say "Merry Christmas" were the folks at Borders. The rest of the sample was rather limited, of course, but it ended up about the way I expected... though, getting one out of the guys at GameStop was slightly surprising.
Christmas Programs:
Of course, it's difficult not to be most impressed by the St. Louis Bach Society's presentation. A 70-some member choir, plus a (relatively) small orchestra. Still, the two candlelight church services were nice, for a more close-knit atmosphere.
The Rush:
There really wasn't one, at least in my family. Sure, there were plenty of people out on the roads for the weekend lead-up, but not enough to really jam things up for people who just needed to get around normally.
Family:
Naturally, it's always nice to see people you don't often get to see, and Christmas is about the only time that happens anymore, since most of the extended family has long since moved out of state. And, since my mother calls him her third son, it was nice to see my "brother" who went off and joined the Navy three years ago.
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