Thursday, January 10, 2008

Ad hoc translation.

Ever since I was a delightfully (as in, it delighted me--not others) selfabsorbed know-it-all in high school, I've been looking for the right opportunities to use bits of Latin here and there. Today, I had to translate my diploma from Latin to English. In the process, I (would have) proved (if anyone actually knew any) that I am helpless with Latin--a complete fake. Yet, in the process, I also discovered the supreme irony of Ivy league diplomas written in Latin--or at least of those from my school: the Latin is bad--even blatantly incorrect, aimed mostly at using complicated words and tenses. So a certificate is passed from Trustees, Faculty, Dean and President of the University--none of whom understand the Latin--to their pupils--none of whom understand it--to signify that the former wish to acknowledge the learning of the latter. Those conferring the diplomas, dressed in the robes of a false priesthood, which neither they nor their graduates believe in, do not even understand what the diploma says (or its mistakes)--nor do those who receive their diplomas, for the most part. Yet all are happy to participate in the pomp and circumstance which serves to congratulate each on his or her status.

Similarly, today I hacked my way through a very bad translation so that a government entity, which also doesn't know much about Latin, can take at face value what I say that my diploma says--even though whatever it says, it says incorrectly. Rewarding me for this, they will allow me to work--thankfully for all, in a field other than Latin.

Monday, January 7, 2008

The Other Baron-Cohen and My Brain

This interesting discussion at T&S talked me into testing my brain.


My EQ SQ results:

EQ : 29
SQ : 100
Brain Type : Extreme Systemizing

Take the EQ SQ tests


In other news, I found this before Kaimi at T&S, but I agree completely with him about it.
It's pretty hard to tackle "What Is It About Mormonism?"--but this is the perfect tackle, following some famously fumble-fingered attempts of late in the media.

If I wait till midnight. . .

. . . maybe i get another daily video. or two. conor puts depression into words and music. and silence.

and he's so good live too:

we are nowhere


lua

Daily Video.

I should just start calling this the Video of the Day Blog. Or even the Music Video of the Day Blog. Because that's what it's turning into. I found a new musician today--who is probably famous for all I know--but knowing little about music, he is new to me. And I like the video. That song, and that artist, come as an upbeat answer to the ennui engulfing this first singer, in this first song. She has a better voice, I think, than the original artist--and, if I didn't know better (and I don't), I'd even say that I have a crush on her. Which isn't something I've had on a random far-off singer since Jewel--and high school. See a few posts below.

1. 我真的受傷了, 王菀之 performed by gaspard128


2. M. Ward "Chinese

. . . I'm definitely going to get some M. Ward from iTunes this week. . .

Ready, AIM.

Randomly, I msg'd an old friend--from years ago today. Now she's in a grad program--about to become Master Ting and then Doctor Ting. She said that she and her mother were just talking about me. Weird. I've probably talked to her only 10-15 times in the last 5 years, and only once or twice in the last year.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

The Most Romantic Song Ever.

And probably the cheesiest, if I gave you the translation.

Zhishao Hai You Ni--Lin Yi Lian


Now, the most sad.

Women dou ji mo--Eason Chan


While on the topic of Mandarin pop music, isn't Karen Mok fabulous?
Ta Bu Ai Wo

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Soundbite.

Hey Emilie, you can dance to the sound of a piece of bacon sizzling.

Hey Emilie, you can't dance to the sound of a freight train running through your head.
Hey Emilie, you can't dance to the sound of a swarm of honey bees.
Hey Emilie, you can't dance to the sound of a side of bacon sizzling.


Ahhh, the Mother Hips. I always thought the lyric was the former ("can") on all accounts. Looking it up just now online, I was surprised to find I was wrong about this. And here I thought I bacon made everything better. Come to think of it, it's more likely that the Mother Hips are wrong (blasphemy, I know!), and the lyric should allow for bacon to make everything better. Unless they're being ironic.