「ヤフー」ニュースのオオイカのビデオ...

おはよう!

私はオオイカに興味を持っています。更に、あなたがそうである場合、このビデオクリップを参照してください。それは「Yahoo」ニュースからです。オオイカがつかまれました。その身体は保存しました。外観に関しては、それが、どのようにこの世でだったかに似ています。

オオイカ。

氷棚上のビデオは同様に面白かった。ビデオの前にコマーシャルに耐えなければなりません。すみません。それはインターネットです!


さよなら!
C.G.アンダーソン

And for those interested in Giant Squids...another online video...

If you are like me and fascinated by Giant Squids, then check out this video clip off of Yahoo News about a Giant Squid they caught and preserved so that you can see it almost the way it appeared when it was alive.

Yes, they have caught baby Giant Squids and managed to raise them alive in captivity for a while, but I don't think they've managed to raise one to adulthood yet or capture an adult alive (and keep it that way.)

Still, it's interesting. Oh, you have to suffer through a video commercial first, but it's not too bad (could be shorter.) You'll need a Flash player in your browser.

Link to Squid

It was even interesting without sound (yes, my machine is still mad at me.)

The ice shelf one was interesting, too.

CG Anderson

DancerUniverse Enters Internet Frontier AND Shizouka, Japan (静岡(日本)) & WorldSkills Competition...something you've never heard of in the States, eh??

I'm having some troubles with my sound card right now, so no music review until that gets resolved. I have some ideas though...a mix of Japan and Vancouver rock, though not literally!

My sound situation? Apparently, machines around me are going petulant for some reason. I wonder if I offended them in some way?

However, a couple of items of interest.

Item one, Katie Farhat of DancerUniverse.com gave me a heads up about her relatively new site dedicated to dance. She saw my 'old now' review of Movmnt magazine and my decrying of good dance websites in that review. :)

In her own words...fair game, Katie!...

"We publish all articles from the print edition of magazine on the website each month and have an archive that dates back to 2002 (maybe 2000?) with full articles online in the (mostly) appropriate "portals".

The website is for everybody who cherishes dance. Danceruniverse.com is basically an information and networking site. We have directories/calendars for industry companies/organizations to put their information in the "right place" as to not interfere with regard to promotion and advertising. We of course, have regular ad serving to pay the bills. My Dance Place on Danceruniverse.com is also the only dance specific news source indexed by Google (that is new and we are really excited about it)......

This is our attempt at creating a REAL community for dance on the web.

Just want to give you a heads up that we are here and that there IS a place for everything dance on the web! (well that is what we are trying to do anyway)."

I took a quick peek and it looks promising. I'll check it out more later but I'd like to hear what other people think, first. Oh, and keep in mind that website is "Dance...R...universe" with an R, not Danceuniverse...type the wrong one and you go to one of those search sites that tries to redirect you to somewhere you likely don't want to go.

Item two is for Japanese fans and curious alike. I found some video footage on a Japanese Government site of the WorldSkills Competition held in Shizuoka, Japan (静岡(日本)) last December 2007.

Pretty cool stuff and this particular video is subtitled--bits of art, fashion, landscaping, and so forth, you name it. Other videos as well..the "Nursing Care Robots" got my attention as well! Not to mention the video on aquariums. And don't miss the one entitled "Communicating Japan's Pop Culture to the World!"

A government that wants to communicate POP culture to the world? Aren't governments usually trying to suppress silly stuff like that? :) Oh wait, maybe that's just neo-conservatives in our government!?

Anyway....
Not something you generally get to see in 10 second sound bites on local TV around here, especially stuff that is world-view oriented...not these days in local or national news, or even US world news which is more concerned about politics at home and body counts abroad!

And this stuff is definitely something that has NOTHING TO DO with the US Presidential Race. HURRAH!

What? Do I sound petulant now? :)

Back to negotiating with petulant machines,
Ta!
CG Anderson
cganders1@yahoo.com

quickie note: Why make a public big-deal about Obama's passport blunder?

I know it's an invasion of privacy, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it was right. What did grab my interest was the fact that the Republican Administration made a big deal about it, publicized it, got a lot press, had RICE even PUBLICLY apologize on TV.

Then we find that the same thing happened to Clinton (Mr) when he was running for President (however, I don't recall any big fuss and apology made then...does anybody? maybe I missed that day?)....AND we find out that Clinton (Senator) ALSO had her passport stuff breached last year and only now is being informed of it AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT ALMOST.

Am I really off base here in thinking that maybe the Republicans WANT you to feel sorry for Obama? Maybe they WANT you to pick him as the Democratic Presidential Candidate (and not Senator Clinton) because they've got something on him or they KNOW that against McCain he will lose. Are they trying to help get the weaker candidate (the one they know they can beat, even if he is seen as the more popular candidate?) into a sympathetic position with the public?

Then again, perhaps I'm totally off base and it's pure coincidence?

Just a thought...
CG

音楽公演の調査: 宝美 -- 日本自身のセリーヌあるいはマライアー?

音楽公演の調査:
宝美 -- 日本自身のセリーヌあるいはマライアー?

ここで、それは私のテキストの和訳です。Iは機械語翻訳に支援されました。しかしながら、Iはそれを非常に修正しました。(My attempt at writing in Japanese..with the help of Machine Treanslation, but going back and forth to see how it comes back out as English after the translation. Any pointers to a better method...yes, I am studying...are welcome.)

ここに、彼女の音楽を聞くために、リンク(醜いバージョンおよびよいバージョンの両方、しかし両 a.同じMySpaceページに)があります。


http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=000799482
あるいは、試みます
www.myspace.com/keyweb


宝美が彼女の名前かどうかは知られていません。彼女のサイトの名前でも、それも知られていません。Iが言ったので、Iは、日本人歌手、バンドおよび他の芸術家を捜すでしょう。私の探索はMySpaceで始まります。有名な歌手および有名なバンドはMySpaceに行きます。更に、まだ知られていない歌手およびバンドは同様に行くでしょう。

探索することおよび宝美サイトと分かられたIに少しです。Iは単一の単語を理解しません。しかし、Iがそれを聞く場合、Iは才能を知っています。この若い女性の声は壮観です。それは明らかで、生命で輝いています。それは、感情(意味を理解するために歌詞を理解する必要がないで非常に十分)でいっぱいです。彼女の音声の範囲は素晴らしい。実際驚かすこと。

彼女の歌はすべて美しく行なわれます。それは特性においてロマンチックです。彼女のMySpaceの音楽はポップであると言われています。私のために、彼女の材料は、フォークソング・スタイルへの傾向を持っています。彼女のスタイルはセリーヌまたはマライアーに似ています。音楽は素晴らしく上演されます。音楽家は優れています。彼女のプロデューサーは、彼において優れていた作品で確かに祝われるべきです。

彼女のMySpaceサイトは、彼女が音楽ラベルによって署名されないと宣言します。音楽が優れていて、それが素晴らしく上演されるので、信じることがそれにとって難しいことが理解されます。彼女の音声録音は優れています。彼女が署名されないと信じるのは難しい。Iはなぜかを尋ねます?

もしこの少女が、ヨーロッパ、カナダあるいはアメリカに急に現われていれば、彼女はセリーヌまたはマライアーへの法定推定相続人であると考えられるでしょう。彼女の声はそれらの歌手と同じくらい美しい。

日本語を話さなくても、彼女の音楽を聞いてください。Iは、美だけでなくこの少女にそれらが何という宝を持つのか日本が知っていることを望みます。

私が得た宝美の翻訳は「宝美」でした。彼女は確かにそうです!!!

来るのにより多くです。
CGアンダーソン

ところで、IはもはやMySpaceページを持っていません。したがって、Iはサイトへ電子メールを送ることができません。また、Iもコメント・ページを増すことができません。誰かがこれを読み、彼女のサイトへ行く場合、彼女にIが彼女の材料が素晴らしいと考えるというメッセージを残してください。ありがとう!!!!!

MUSIC REVIEW: 宝美 The Treasure Beauty--Japan's own Celine, Mariah or Sade?

宝美

To listen to her music, here are the links (both the ugly version and the nice version but both to the same MySpace page.)

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=1000799482
or try
www.myspace.com/keyweb

Whether 宝美 is her name or a name being used for her site, I don't know. As I said, I would be looking more into Japanese singers, bands and other artists. Well, I decided to start with MySpace, since I know that well known, as well as unknown, singers will post their music there.

A bit of searching and I found 宝美 site. I don't understand a single word, but I know talent when I hear it. This young lady's voice is spectacular. It is clear and sparkling with life. It is full of emotion--so full that you don't need to understand the lyrics to understand the meaning. Her vocal range is wonderful. Amazing, in fact.

The songs are laid back and romantic in nature. The genre is pop/j-pop/acoustic, but I would say her stuff tends more toward acoustic ballads ala early Mariah, as well as Sade and Celine. The music is superbly done as well, the musicians should be congratulated and the producer given a big, gold star for the overall production.

Her MySpace site says she is unsigned. I have to wonder if that is true or not. I wonder because the sound is so professional and her voice is so amazing that I find it hard to believe that such a talent is left to fend for herself.

If this girl had popped up in Europe, Canada or America, as an English speaking equivalent, with that voice of hers (and her natural beauty), then she would be the heir apparent to Celine or Sade or Mariah.

I hope you all give her a listen, whether you speak Japanese or not. And I hope Japan knows what a treasure they have in this girl, not just a beauty.

The translation of 宝美 that I got was "The Treasure Beauty".
She certainly is!

More to come.
CG Anderson

By the way, I don't have a MySpace page anymore, so I can't comment sites or send them email. If someone reads this and goes to her site, leave a message to her that I think her stuff is wonderful. Thanks!

Time to get back to work...

Well, it's been awhile. I had to go off and do some real work and frankly, that takes a lot of time. While I prefer working for myself, I have to admit, a steady paycheck is a priceless thing! However, the time it sucks down and the energy it takes (since in my case, it means a long, long commute every day, each way) drains me and makes it hard to think about anything else.

But I'm adjusting...

Little Dogs Media is no more, unfortunately. Like so many other small businesses, it ran for two years (plus or minus) and just didn't make it. However, this blog is still alive and kicking (barely) and so I'll continue to do write ups and reviews, even if I can't spend the amount of time I could before researching new bands, dance groups and artists.

So the name of the site will be changing and it will be undergoing a face lift.

Since I don't have as much time to spend, I'll have to spend it wisely and on things I think are important (to me.) Comments telling me that I should be doing 'this' or 'that' are welcome, because it's no fun writing stuff that no one wants to read.

How will the site change? Well, there will me more creative writing scattered among the band reviews, and more commentary--though it will be short opinion pieces since I don't have a lot of time anymore.

And since I'm learning Japanese, there will be a shift toward all things Japanese as well. Meaning, I'll be trying to track down Japanese bands and artistic groups and other things art/music related that trace back to Japan.

And, depending on how Google blogs work, I may even try to post some (likely poorly written) commentary or creative pieces in JAPANESE! It will be good practice for me, even if for those that read it, it may turn out to be painful...or perhaps ludicrous (My Dog Purple Flavor Returns and other such inanities.) I hope not, but I welcome those that speak/write/read fluent Japanese to add any constructive comments and help me not embarrass myself (as much!)

I also welcome any pointers to Japanese based bands, artists, dancers, art events and so forth...preferably to dual-English/Japanese sites so that when I talk about them, they can reach a wider audience.

And much much later, after I've learned the 2000 daily use Kanji for Japan, I plan on tackling Chinese (Mandarin, I suspect.)

Anyway, as said, things are changing. The Myspace page is gone now, so you can't reach me that way, you need to use my yahoo email address or post a comment here.

Besides, I need to get back to doing this...even if I'm tired all the time...between the work grind and watching the horror that is now American politics and politicians, I need something better in my life. (I'm soooo disenfranchised now, it's not funny. I didn't even bother voting in the primary. I don't trust Obama, he comes off slimy to me, like a stereotypical used car salesman who thinks he knows better than you, but I don't think Hilary has a good chance either and only because I think the country is still prejudiced against the idea of a woman president...just my feeling, you don't have to agree...if McCain wasn't anti-abortion, I think I'd cross party lines and vote for him, but he is and I don't think his desire to 'go green' will last much longer either. I think he will bend to the party will and special interests faster than you can say 'green'.)

So I'm disenfranchised and I didn't used to be. Maybe that's why I have more interest right now in countries like Canada and Japan, who may not be any better in a lot of ways, but at least they are different. (And in Japan, they don't just talk about doing something to be prepared for this or that natural disaster, like in the US, they actually do something about it. Tsunamis come to mind and how they actually build protections against them...while in the US, we have the early warning system, yes, but the towns on the coast really talk a lot but do nothing to prepare.)

Here in Washington (state), we have tsunamis, earthquakes, mudslides, high winds, volcanoes, you name it...but it's politics as usual and nothing seems to get done. sigh... just like the rest of the country, it seems...

Ah, well... perhaps I'm just tired and imagining it all.

Anyway, write you soon!
C.G.