Archives For 2011

New Google Translate Features

February 15, 2011 — 6 Comments

Listening and watching… and trying to keep up with Asian entertainment means that I use Google Translate often. This is why I think these are new features. I knew Google Translate could read out loud English… and German, but this is the first time that I’m aware it can read Japanese, Mandarin and Korean too.

Of course I chose BiBi’s Just to Meet You song to test, because that’s one of the songs that I butcher whenever it plays on my iPod. And it not only “translates,” but now you can also read it phonetically…

and you can listen to it read it out loud. O_O

Three very important things about this:

1. This is amazing… if you’re starting out a language.

2. A lot of sites that dedicate themselves to pinyin, romaji and Korean romanization just got their work cut down… or have some serious competition. With this, anyone can post lyrics…

3. This just made a whole new generation of lazy.

In Language, Pinyin, Rants, Romaji, Romanization, Screencaps, Sharing , , ,
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The Thomas Beale Cipher by Andrew S Allen

A mystery colorful version of a Film Noir that meets Pythagora Switch (1).

To be honest, this short could easily have gotten an Oscar nod… dunno if it was eligible this year, though. Maybe next time? It’s definitely stylish, and if it holds clues… worth repeat viewings xD

The film contains 16 hidden messages that hold clues to the characters’ secrets. Eight are fairly easy requiring only a close eye. Six are moderately difficult using various encryption methods. Two are extremely difficult requiring a genius mind to decrypt.

Posted on February 13, 2011 In English, Sharing, Short Films ,
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Minami he (To the South)

February 12, 2011 — 5 Comments

So… you don’t live in Tokyo? Or you live in Tokyo but don’t have the time or money to spend a couple of hours in the theater? Well, tough luck!

Yu-chan’s at the theater in her brand new play with Satoshi Tsumabuki, as previously reported.

Tsumabuki portrays a seismologist named Minami who is station at the foot of the fictional Mt. Buji, a volcano that is getting ready to erupt. Aoi portrays Amane, a woman found wandering the slopes of Mt. Buji. The only thing is she may not be Amane at all. Aoi’s character keeps changing the story of who she is, where she comes from and even what her real name is.

via J-Film Pow-Wow (Chris MaGee’s awesome, non?)

Check J-Film Pow-Wow for more information and a photo where Yu’s on the side looking different. Then there’s a video of Yu-chan commenting on the play, and inviting all of us (who can’t go) to see the play.

But it’s not embeddable, so head over here for the video.

But really, even if I were in Tokyo… and I had the time and money to go watch Yu on stage, it’d be for nothing! Because I’m not fluent in Japanese. It’d be like a wasted seat on someone who would just stare O_O and that’d be creepy.

So… is anyone going? And does anyone want to share their thoughts on it?

In Celebrity, Clips, English, Japanese, Screencaps , , , , ,
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Oscar 2010-2011 Watchlist

February 2, 2011 — 4 Comments

I know, I know… I haven’t been blogging about any of the awards since I launched YAM. But hey! If you were following YAM on Twitter, you’d know I’ve been commenting on them~

Did the Globes [Firth, Portman, Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right), Paul Giamatti, Melissa Leo + Christian Bale, + The Social Network wins for Movie+Score+Script+Director] Did the whole SAG Awards [Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), Natalie Portman (Black Swan), Melissa Leo + Christian Bale (The Fighter) + The King’s Speech for Cast), and the Oscar noms aren’t really that surprising, but there were a couple of nice things.

First, Yay Javier Bardem, Yay John Hawkes.

Here’s my list of watched and not-watched films.

Light blue – Watched
Hot pink – Dying to watch.

In DVD/BR, English, Films, French, Fun, Screencaps, Sharing, Spanish, Torrents & Digital Streams , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Conductor by Alexander Chen

I remember in school we studied the London subway system’s map. Simplified… easy (not really), but immensely easier than New York… according to a friend who’s been to both cities anyway.

You can see how the New York simple (is not) the subway system works…

[iframe src=”https://player.vimeo.com/video/19372180?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff” width=”560″ height=”315″]

Posted on February 2, 2011 In English, Illustrations, Motion, Sharing ,
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Old BiBi Interview with English Subtitles

I think this is the only video of Bibi with English subtitles. It’s short, barely three minutes of it… but makes me miss BiBi circa her NOW/WOW albums… which reminds me, gotta review those.

[iframe src=”https://www.tudou.com/v/_H6cID-4vsU/v.swf” width=”480″ height=”400″]

Her last bit singing gives me the shivers.

From the last few performances she’s done, something is amiss. Her voice is quite not right, and I think it might be due to the production of her last album.

*sighs*

Forgive the lack of updates, but then again… you do know there’s YAM, right?

Posted on February 1, 2011 In Celebrity, Chinese, Clips, English, Music, Sharing , , , , ,
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Yu Aoi – Yogashiten ~ Daisuki Sweets – Best 88 ~

I guess I could translate Daisuki Sweets to Sweets that I Love (the best).

There’s a new special issue by Magazine House that has just been released. My understanding is that it’s got write-ups on Yu’s favorite pastries, and stuff like that. I even read something about her grandma’s banana bread?

Obviously, this is to promote her upcoming film Yogashiten Coin de Rue, which opens on February 11th.

Continue Reading…

Posted on January 29, 2011 In Celebrity, English, Japanese, Photoshoots, Screencaps, Sharing , ,
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Classes begin…

January 20, 2011 — 6 Comments

*drum roll*

Guess who’s going to begin Mandarin lessons?

Crap, I’m nervous about it. I hope I can get the tones right. I don’t want to end up frustrated with it, and give up on all the Chinese music I own.

Honestly, Mandarin is the most difficult — sound-wise — language to me. But then again, I know nothing about Arabic… and I’m pretty sure I will have issues pronouncing anything resembling Hebrew.

What I hate about Chinese – any of the dialects – is that it’s like playing charade with a language.

Wish me luck.

In Chinese, English, Sharing, Spanish
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Fangirling gone~

January 18, 2011 — 9 Comments

It’s over, I think it is.

Pretty much, I think. Don’t want to let that go because it’s been such long time, but ugh. It’s been wavering for the past year… from interviews, statements, etc. Enough is enough.

I’m giving you an ultimatum. I’m holding on to this until the end of February… out of respect. Pity being my bday month, but you know why it is. I don’t think it will ever be the same between us, but I’m a good sport. I can always forgive, but you really must show me how it’s going to work.

I always admired you in a way, tried my best to respect your private life. When that incident happened, I felt bad… I never liked reporters anyway, and my crush on your rumored boyfriend was gone because of it… because how could he, right? Yeah, maybe you should have known better.

Now, you’re flaunting your business? Admittedly, I was impressed with the timing… but I never thought it would have been for this. I want to turn a blind eye to this because that’s what I’ve been doing… but I can’t do that any longer. I’m sorry. I wish I were a better fan…

Hoping the best for you.

xoxo~

In English, Rants
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Had forgotten how passionate fandom shipping could be…

January 18, 2011 — 2 Comments

So says the girl that wrote an essay on Numerology and a certain Harry Potter subject. *cough* LOL Anyway… moving on! You know I’ve got fandoms… I’ve gotten into shipping fandoms, but never got as “bad” as those HP days.

I was browsing the web, and ended up in LiveJournal — the place where all fandoms seem to end — and I found Rachel/Quinn shippers? How did that happen? Well, you need not to wonder. They will explain to you episode by episode… in a rather very detailed and impressive way.

I’m even a little converted. Though, I attribute many of those moments to Diana Agron letting go off Quinn’s bitchiness in a musical number — some may call those character inconsistencies — but they work in a very ironic kind of way.

I love love love Ryan Murphy with all my heart because of Popular, but he’s really not the King of Subtleties… if you must know. How can you not know that? It must have hit you in the face by now that Murphy likes it big and loud. Those Quinn/Rachel moments are too subtle to be meant to. Attribute those to happy accidents.

But they work. My gawd, Quinn/Dianna stares a lot at Rachel/Lea. And it had never crossed my mind that all of Quinn’s musical numbers, real or in her imagination, have her surrounded by females. Plus, the number with the cheerleaders in football uniforms.

If slowly developed, I can totally buy it.

—

The dedication of that post, however, is what made me write this post. I miss that crazy passion that fandom can create. I don’t know if that crazy passion should come with the crazy disappointment, though. I don’t think I can take another fandom heartbreak.

In Books, English, Rants, Sharing, Television , , , , ,
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