It May Be Microsoft....
but it's still pretty cool!
2009-01-29
2009-01-27
Reagan and Energy (Oil, actually)
Reagan removed controls on oil prices. The result was lower prices and a glut. Had Reagan taken advantage of this to fill the nation’s strategic reserves with cheap oil or to reduce U.S. dependency on foreign oil by imposing an oil import fee, or to encourage conservation through a tax, he would have left his successor less a prisoner of events in the Middle East. But Reagan abhorred taxes, and he did not accept the necessity of conservation. His trust was in the marketplace.
www.ontheissues.org
2009-01-24
2009-01-17
釈迦さま、一本取り！
このブログで宗教について書いたことは今までなかったと思いますが、昨日とても面白い記事を読んで釈迦様のことがついに浮かんできた。
例の記事はここだが、英語なのでご注意ください。
面白いと思ったのは、この記事では、科学者のなかには、この世界、宇宙、つまりすべての「存在」は幻にすぎないという論説がある、ということだ。もっと性格にいうと我々人間たちが包まれているすべての存在がホログラムみたいなものかもしれない。
私だけかもしれないが、釈迦さまが訴えていた「空」の如きだとどうしても思ってならない。
例の記事はここだが、英語なのでご注意ください。
面白いと思ったのは、この記事では、科学者のなかには、この世界、宇宙、つまりすべての「存在」は幻にすぎないという論説がある、ということだ。もっと性格にいうと我々人間たちが包まれているすべての存在がホログラムみたいなものかもしれない。
私だけかもしれないが、釈迦さまが訴えていた「空」の如きだとどうしても思ってならない。
2009-01-14
2009-01-12
テレビジャパン
忘れないうちにテレビジャパンのHPへのリンクを載せたい。
アメリカに引っ越すと日本のテレビを見るのはほとんど不可能だと思っていましたが、テレビジャパンに申し込めば24時間日本の放送が見えるらしい。しかも衛星放送で受信する場合、他のテレビ局を一緒に申し込む必要はない。
ところが、たった一つこのテレビ局を見るために、少なくとも月々31ドルを払わないといけない。それは高いぞ。
でも日本のテレビが何もないよりはマシだろうね。
アメリカに引っ越すと日本のテレビを見るのはほとんど不可能だと思っていましたが、テレビジャパンに申し込めば24時間日本の放送が見えるらしい。しかも衛星放送で受信する場合、他のテレビ局を一緒に申し込む必要はない。
ところが、たった一つこのテレビ局を見るために、少なくとも月々31ドルを払わないといけない。それは高いぞ。
でも日本のテレビが何もないよりはマシだろうね。
Kinder Cars
I've been doing some research on what car to buy in the U.S., and as part of that I decided to look at Youtube. Youtube can be a good source of information not just from the videos, but from the comments as well.
However one thing I noticed while reading the comments is that people can be very passionate about cars and, more to the point, the nationality of said cars. It's simply amazing.
What I mean is, some people will not even consider looking at a foreign car, and apparently some people will not even consider looking at a domestic car. But it goes further than that; people will actually attack another person's character based solely upon the company of a car that he or she likes.
I had mostly forgotten about this tendency among people in at least America. I of course knew about it in terms of politics, but I had forgotten that it exists over such mundane things as choice in consumer products.
What I don't understand is why people take such things so close to heart like that. Why does it matter what someone else prefers in terms of cars? Why do automobiles bring up such strong feelings of nationalism among some people? And why do people try to make statements with their cars? Why not just buy what you like and let others buy what they like? It all seems rather childish if you ask me.
However one thing I noticed while reading the comments is that people can be very passionate about cars and, more to the point, the nationality of said cars. It's simply amazing.
What I mean is, some people will not even consider looking at a foreign car, and apparently some people will not even consider looking at a domestic car. But it goes further than that; people will actually attack another person's character based solely upon the company of a car that he or she likes.
I had mostly forgotten about this tendency among people in at least America. I of course knew about it in terms of politics, but I had forgotten that it exists over such mundane things as choice in consumer products.
What I don't understand is why people take such things so close to heart like that. Why does it matter what someone else prefers in terms of cars? Why do automobiles bring up such strong feelings of nationalism among some people? And why do people try to make statements with their cars? Why not just buy what you like and let others buy what they like? It all seems rather childish if you ask me.
2009-01-08
焼き豚
焼き豚はとても好きだ。
しかし、アメリカには焼き豚がない気がするので焼き豚の作り方を探さなきゃ。まあ、食べなくてもいいかもしれないが美味しいものが食べたいもんね。ところが自分で作れたら嬉しい反面、アメリカはアメリカでひれ肉の塊が買えてもドでかいやつしかないのだはないか、と心配だ。
しかし、アメリカには焼き豚がない気がするので焼き豚の作り方を探さなきゃ。まあ、食べなくてもいいかもしれないが美味しいものが食べたいもんね。ところが自分で作れたら嬉しい反面、アメリカはアメリカでひれ肉の塊が買えてもドでかいやつしかないのだはないか、と心配だ。
2009-01-05
Michael Bay
I never used to pay much attention to movie directors and who directs what, but recently I saw "The Island" and that led to a minor epiphany of sorts.
You see, after watching this movie, I decided to go online and check out what kind of review it got in America when it was released. Many of the reviews mentioned the director, Michael Bay, by name, so I decided to do a little research on him. I found his official web page (I never knew that directors had their own "official" web pages before) and more importantly, I found his filmography.
Let's see what it lists and my thoughts on those movies that I have seen:
Bad Boys (1995)
I haven't seen this in years, but I do remember liking it.
The Rock (1996)
I saw this and thought it was an average film. Not bad per se...but not good, either.
Armageddon (1998)
Argh, I hated this movie. It was maybe 15 or 20 minutes too long. Short on story, but long on exaggerated action.
Pearl Harbor (2001)
I never saw this one.
Bad Boys 2 (2003)
I wanted to like this movie, but I just couldn't. What I remember most is the blatant product placement.
The Island (2005)
I have seen my share of old sci fi movies, and I realized as I saw this film that back in the 50's and 60's they used to pad poorly scripted films with scenes of walking or driving, but nowadays they seem to do that with action sequences. Needless to say, I didn't like this movie.
Transformers (2007)
I didn't like this film, either. I was hoping this would be a movie about the robots rather than some kids. The transformer robots were cool when they transformed, but that's the best I can say about this film.
Yes, I realize now that taken as a whole, I do not like Michael Bay movies. Seeing as I only have pleasant thoughts of one of his movies, and every other one I have seen has left only a lukewarm impression on me at best, I think it safe to avoid his movies in the future.
Sorry, Mr. Bay, but we just have different tastes in movies, apparently.
You see, after watching this movie, I decided to go online and check out what kind of review it got in America when it was released. Many of the reviews mentioned the director, Michael Bay, by name, so I decided to do a little research on him. I found his official web page (I never knew that directors had their own "official" web pages before) and more importantly, I found his filmography.
Let's see what it lists and my thoughts on those movies that I have seen:
Bad Boys (1995)
I haven't seen this in years, but I do remember liking it.
The Rock (1996)
I saw this and thought it was an average film. Not bad per se...but not good, either.
Armageddon (1998)
Argh, I hated this movie. It was maybe 15 or 20 minutes too long. Short on story, but long on exaggerated action.
Pearl Harbor (2001)
I never saw this one.
Bad Boys 2 (2003)
I wanted to like this movie, but I just couldn't. What I remember most is the blatant product placement.
The Island (2005)
I have seen my share of old sci fi movies, and I realized as I saw this film that back in the 50's and 60's they used to pad poorly scripted films with scenes of walking or driving, but nowadays they seem to do that with action sequences. Needless to say, I didn't like this movie.
Transformers (2007)
I didn't like this film, either. I was hoping this would be a movie about the robots rather than some kids. The transformer robots were cool when they transformed, but that's the best I can say about this film.
Yes, I realize now that taken as a whole, I do not like Michael Bay movies. Seeing as I only have pleasant thoughts of one of his movies, and every other one I have seen has left only a lukewarm impression on me at best, I think it safe to avoid his movies in the future.
Sorry, Mr. Bay, but we just have different tastes in movies, apparently.
2009-01-02
Truth is Crueler than Fiction
From the New York Times:
This article made me wince. Several times. They say the only things certain in life are death and taxes. I would add human brutality to the list, although Kristof is right that the people like Sina are truly inspiring.
Sex trafficking is truly the 21st century’s version of slavery. One of the differences from 19th-century slavery is that many of these modern slaves will die of AIDS by their late 20s.
This article made me wince. Several times. They say the only things certain in life are death and taxes. I would add human brutality to the list, although Kristof is right that the people like Sina are truly inspiring.
