Sakura District

Google Forced to Retake All Street View Images in Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Tue, 19 May 2009 12:46:00 +0000

Google has announced they plan to retake all Japanese photographs for its Street View service due to complaints from residents photographs were taken from a vantage point that was higher than most people’s fences around their homes. The photos were taken by a camera mounted on a stick attached to a roof of a car and according to company product manager Keiichi Kawai, Google Japan has agreed to lower the cameras. Google has also agreed to blur vehicle license plate images to address one of the other privacy complaints being leveled against the Google Street View service.

Kawai said Google’s decision to lower the cameras is designed to address concerns in Japan, where many neighborhoods are crowded and privacy is tightly guarded. According to CNET, the new photographs will be taken with a camera that is exactly 16 inches lower, and will be a costly and time consuming affair because Google has already photographed 12 Japanese cities including Tokyo and Osaka.

Google’s lowered camera is meant to prevent items such as people’s laundry hanging out to dry from being filmed. The lowered camera will most likely make no difference as almost everyone in Japan hangs their laundry outside to dry due to space constraints and the high humidity.

Japan Probe also has other examples of images captured by Google Street View where a lowered camera would not have made a difference. The images include a high school girl’s chest being touched, a homeless man collapsed on the street, and a couple entering a "love hotel".

Complaints about Google Street View were already beginning to surface late last year when a Japanese civilian group that includes lawyers and university professors asked Google to stop providing detailed street-level images of Japanese cities on the internet because it violates privacy rights.

Source: DailyTech

Twitter is Dangerous: revista

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Tue, 12 May 2009 01:50:00 +0000

I’m probably miles behind some tech complaint curve everyone else knows about, but having spent four hours trying to gain control of my Twitter account I’m at the point of pulling what’s left of my hair out. Here’s what’s happened.
The last few days I noticed the number of people I am allegedly following rise dramatically. The reason I noticed was because I started to get a bunch of direct messages thanking me for following. (see pic below)

Within a couple of days the number of these spurious follows had rocketed from some 1,300 to over 1,900 with around 300 added last night. I reckon I’m a reasonably sociable if curmudgeonly person but there is no way that I can realistically follow random people to that extent. Scoble’s got the lock on that ability. That’s why I regularly cull follows and only follow those where I can see a likely connection to my interests.
Without wishing to appear a total dope I asked whether anyone else has experienced the same problem. Lo and behold I am not alone - so not a total dope. (see pic below but there are other examples) The irony is that @paulthomas_tx is someone I’ve never heard of but I am following.

OK - so what to do?
My first plan was to lock down my account by going into ‘protected Tweet’ mode. That didn’t help much because the ‘follows’ continued to pour in. I am presuming there’s a backlog of messages coming through. (As I write this, the direct messages of thanks are still coming in.)
I then tried deleting the follows I don’t want. That seemed to be working but then I find I am getting follow requests from the same people - or at least some of them. Delete those as well.
You’d think that would help but no. Next I find the follow/follower list/request continuing to grow. At this stage I am getting mighty annoyed but someone suggested changing passwords. Having done that three times - in part because I was being locked out of my Twitter account - I then find I can’t login via the AIR clients I use: Seesmic Desktop or TweetDeck, nor can I get in via Nambu but I CAN get in via the native web client.
Someone else suggested blocking but I am loathe to do that to people who might otherwise be innocent and simply the victim of some ’stuff’ of which they are unaware. Some candidates however were pretty obvious so they got the block treatment.
Next step - get help from Twitter. See below:

Apologies for the small image size but when I sent the original lockout query along with some details about the other problems, Twitter’s autoresponder assumed I was talking about login problems and replied: “This problem is deemed solved.” Puhleeeease. The lockout problem cleared so that’s one issue out the way. It would have helped if Twitter provided a time estimate for lockout instead of it’s ‘hang on’ message.
I have been successfully using Topify to filter Twitter messages coming in via email but it doesn’t work as well in protected mode. The result is that my email inbox is being swamped with follow requests. That’s easily solved with more filtering but waking up to 154 follower requests was not my idea of fun.
What’s happened? I really don’t know. People in my network made good suggestions for at least temporarily fixing the problem for which I am immensely grateful. But… as an enterprisey person with plenty of things to do other than clean out Twitter crap, this is unacceptable. It reminds me of the days when I used to clear up Windows infections. Twitter support has to improve.
Autoresponders are fine when they work, but when they don’t they’re a guaranteed way to elevate the grump levels. Locking out the account because of failed logins is fine but discriminating between services is not. It’s confusing.
Operating a service that is drop dead easy is fine, but having issues that require tech support solutions that are undocumented or not immediately obvious is far from acceptable for the average person.
It has been suggested I might have picked up the ‘Mikeyy’ or ‘StalkDaily’ Twitter worms or some such. I have no idea but couldn’t Twitter scan accounts for this, notify individually and then do a clean up? Robin Wauters at TechCrunch documented a fourth round of the worm infection and said that Twitter is advising. Unfortunately, the link he provides goes to a dead Twitter page.
Back in December 2007, Mike Krigsman declared Twitter is Dangerous. At the time he was thinking of other issues. I’m thinking that with Salesforce.com and others jumping on the Twitter train, the issues I have experienced for reasons I still cannot fathom renders Twitter even MORE dangerous. Questions:

Do I really want my business email junked up with spurious follows/follower requests? If not then what is Twitter prepared to do to provide users with protection against this kind of problem yet still allow the service to grow?
Does Twitter have coherent processes in place to help its users? This seems to have been an ongoing issue that as yet remains unresolved.
Is the notion of an open API that has no apparent requirement for destruction or malware testing acceptable? In the enterprise the answer is a solid no but with consumery apps creeping into the enterprise is it any surprise when IT stamps them out?
What are established services like Salesforce.com doing to ensure that Twitter users get what they want from the service but without this type of headache?
Has the time come for more attention to be paid to services like Yammer or ESME where use issues inside the firewall are being addressed but which will have to extend outwards at some point?
As Dick Hirsch asked: Am I ready to declare Twitter bankruptcy? Answer: I’m within a gnat’s whisker.

Written by: Dennis Howlett of Zdnet Blog.

Actress Kim So-yeon to Join 'Iris' as Sexy Agent

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:51:00 +0000

Actress Kim So-yeon will join the high profile cast of the upcoming spy action drama series Iris starring Lee Byeong-heon and Kim Tae-hee. She will play a sexy agent.

The drama's production agency Taewon Entertainment said, "Kim will turn into a provocative warrior playing Kim Seon-hwa, a North Korean agent. She is up for some intense action scenes."

Under the order of the team chief played by actor Lee Seung-woo, Kim Seon-hwa doggedly tails South Korean special agent Kim Hyeon-jun (Lee Byeong-heon). After being abandoned by the North regime, she fatefully falls in love with Lee. She creates an intense love triangle with Kim Tae-hee and Lee to the very end.

"Iris" is expected to air on KBS 2TV in the second half of the year. Filming will start next month in Akita Prefecture, Japan.

source: KBS Global

Takita Yojiro Enjoys Oscar Limelight

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:50:00 +0000

The Japanese show business industry has been basking in the glory of the country's two wins at the Academy Awards, which we announced here yesterday. Japanese productions won two Oscars, both for the first time in their category. The first to be announced was the animated short "Tsumiki no Ie." But the bigger prize was taken by "Okuribito" (Departures), chosen as best foreign language film. Director Takita Yojiro (53) has come a long way since his 1981 debut as a director of soft porn. "Chikan Onna Sensei" (Pervert Lady Teacher) was the first in a series of more than a dozen he made. In recent years, he's had more mainstream success with films like "Onmyoji" (2001) and "Battery" (2007), but has reached a peak with his 43rd movie. He was emotional after the awards ceremony and tearfully thanked the cast and dozens of crew members who paid their own way to accompany him to Los Angeles. As often happens in Japan, it was only when Okuribito started gaining a reputation at film festivals overseas late last year that it got any media attention at home. Stars Motoki Masahiro (43) and Hirosue Ryoko (32) are already well established names, so the Oscar is mainly Takita's chance to enjoy the full limelight.

• Actor Nishimura Kazuhiko (42) is a father again. He announced on his blog yesterday that his wife, shodo (calligraphy) artist Kunishige Tomomi (30) gave birth to their second child last weekend. They married in 2006 and had a son the following year. Nishimura was previously married to actress Tachihara Mai (39). Meanwhile, actor Tanihara Shousuke (36) is to be father for the third time, according to today's issue of weekly magazine "Shuukan Josei." He and his wife Emi (32) have two children, their elder son being from her previous marriage to actor Ishida Issei (34). She was already pregnant when she and Tanihara married in March 2007. They had a daughter the following October.

• With an 11-year career behind her, J-pop star aiko (33) finally has her first No.1 single. She's had 5 chart-topping albums but the best she's ever managed until now on the Oricon singles rankings was No.2. That has now changed with the success of "Milk/Nageki no Kiss," which entered the latest chart at No.1. On top of the album chart are rock band Unicorn, who recently reformed 15 years after they split.　"Shamble" is their 7th original album. They split up in 1993 and members pursued solo careers until they decided to revive the band in the spring of last year. The band is fronted by Okuda Tamio, who has had by far the most successful solo career over the last decade.

Glam girls sizzle on Sports Illustrated

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:44:00 +0000

With supermodel Bar Rafaeli, better known as Leonardo DiCaprio's girlfriend, on the cover - Sports Illustrated has ensured that temperatures keep soaring, as its annual Swimsuit Issue hit the stands recently.

And for Leo's heartthrob, it is a dream come true. Rafaeli can now expect to be a super-celebrity.

"I mean it's not a secret. That's why it's every girl's dream to be in Sports Illustrated because it brings you up in an instant. And it gives you recognition and a lot of opportunities. it just makes the way so much quicker to get up there. So it really means a lot. It's an honour to be among all those names that were on the cover of Sports Illustrated and it's just a big thrill," said Bar Rafaeli, cover girl on the Swinsuit Issue of the Sports Illustrated.

But Refaeli isn't the only attraction in the issue. Speed Diva Danica Patrick has also struck a sexy pose in a teeny-weeny piece - certainly a treat for the fans of the Indycar driver.

And if you thought tennis players hit aces only on the court, there's a surprise. World number 39, Daniela Hantuchova took her time off to show her playful side on the beach as well, posing for the issue. She was joined by fellow tennis player Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin. Russia's Maria Kirilenko completed the tennis troika with her own uninhibited style.

With so many hot women gracing the pages of Sports Illustrated, it is certainly not a surprise to find the subscriptions of Sports Illustrated skyrocketing hours after its release. For the figures, the sales went up 438 per cent in just six hours of its release, as reported in Weekly World News.

Microsoft to move into retail

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:08:00 +0000

Microsoft has surprised technology industry rivals and high street retailers by announcing plans to open its own line of branded shops.
The decision to launch a "small number" of Microsoft stores comes during the worst recession for decades, and just weeks after the company and made its first ever mass redundancies.
The company, which is based in Redmond, Washington, said that it was hiring David Porter, an executive from the movie studio DreamWorks, to oversee a network of shops that wil sell Windows PCs, mobile phones and other devices.
"This is an exciting time with our strong line-up of product releases, including Windows 7 and new releases of Windows Live and Windows Mobile," said Kevin Turner, Microsoft's chief operating officer.
"We're also working hard to transform the PC and Microsoft buying experience at retail … so that it's clear, simple and straightforward for consumers everywhere."
Although it made its fortune providing software and operating systems for computers, in recent years Microsoft has moved further into making hardware and devices.
The company's Xbox 360 videogame console has helped knock Japanese electronics giant Sony off its perch, while it also produces a popular range of keyboards, mice, webcams and other computer peripherals.
Not every venture into hardware has proved successful, however: the company's Zune music player – which made a solid but unremarkable start on its release in 2006 – saw sales drop sharply last year. Recent financial figures suggested that revenues from the device had dropped by nearly $100m on the previous year.
Despite the range of hardware now being made by Microsoft, Porter implied that his primary focus will be selling PCs, which could be an important way for the company to stimulate sales of the upcoming Windows 7 operating system.
"I'm excited about helping consumers make more informed decisions about their PC and software purchases," said Porter in a statement.
Microsoft's long-standing rivalry with Apple led to immediate comparisons with the iPod makers own hugely successful string of shops.
Overseen by vice president Ron Johnson, who joined the company from America's fifth-biggest retailer Target, Apple's chain of stores broke records by achieving more than a billion dollars in sales within two years. There are now more than 200 Apple stores worldwide.
However, several large electronics chains have closed outlets or collapsed entirely in recent months, perhaps prompting the audacious plan.
"It'll be great to have a store to demo Microsoft tech and Windows laptops side by side, since so many chains are dropping away," wrote Brian Lam, the editor of gadget blog Gizmodo.
Regardless, the decision to launch into such an expensive undertaking while the economy is in dire straits baffled some analysts, while others suggested that remaining electronics retailers are likely to be angered by the move.
But the company will be hoping that Porter, who was previously an executive at retail giant Wal-Mart, can bring some of his experience to help the company's marketing push.
"Retail will help Microsoft in telling a broader story it wants to get across about products from Windows Live to Windows Mobile," said Matt Rosoff, an analyst with the independent research company Directions on Microsoft.

Bandai Namco Goes For D3 Buyout

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:03:00 +0000

Bandai Namco made a grab today for D3, parent of Puzzle Quest publisher D3 Publisher.

Bandai Namco claims it's already reached an agreement with the company's shareholders for a 70 percent stake -- and is aiming for full ownership, according to a press statement translated by interpreter Andria Sang.

According to the announcement, Bandai Namco sees synergies with D3 in the desire to develop more properties across the multiple simultaneous arenas of anime, toys and video games, as with D3 Publisher's Ben 10: Alien Force cartoon license.

Bandai Namco often investigates property expansions around animated series like Dragon Ball Z and Naruto; it does a Naruto collectible card game, for example, while D3 has distributed Naruto video games published by Tomy. The release mentions a cooperation on content expansion specifically around Ben 10; the cartoon series is produced by Cartoon Network, while D3 owns the license to publish the tie-in games.

Bandai Namco also mentions D3 Publisher's North American operations, noting the potential for technology sharing. Also likely to be a significant part of the decision is D3's subsidiary, Vicious Cycle Software, developer of the Vicious Engine middleware used in titles like Flushed Away and Dead Head Fred, in addition to Puzzle Quest.

Gamasutra has contacted both parties for comment and will update as we receive it.

IT’S BOY MEETS GIRL – AND ANOTHER GIRL – IN VIZ MEDIA DEBUT OF I”s DVD BOX SET

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:55:00 +0000

Zany Comedy About A High School Boy And Two Sexy Classmates Inspired By A Popular Manga Series

San Francisco, CA, FEBRUARY 3, 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will expand its library of animated properties with the eagerly awaited debut of I”s as a special two-disc DVD box set with an estimated street date of March 24th.

I”s is based on a popular manga series (Rated ‘M” for mature audiences) by Masakazu Katsura, published domestically by VIZ Media under its Shonen Jump Advanced imprint. The original I”s animated series, as well as a six-episode follow-up called I”s PURE, will be included this new DVD box set (rated “M” for Mature audiences) and carries an SRP of $29.98 US/$39.99 CAN.

Iori Hazuki is a beautiful high school girl with ambitions of becoming a model and actress. Ichitaka Seto is an indecisive sixteen year-old boy with a mad crush on Iori. Things become more complicated for Ichitaka when a childhood friend named Itsuki returns from living in the United States and ends up living at his house – and Itsuki is far from the shy and homely young girl Ichitaka remembers. Ichitaka must now reconcile his feelings for each girl and work hard to make sure that his angst-riddled personal life doesn't become any more dramatic. Put all three “I”s together and you have a tale of love, comedy, and dreams!

In I”s PURE, hapless Ichitaka continues to face endless obstacles that include pranks, misunderstandings, stalkers, and a romantic intervention as he continues to try and win the heart of his classmate and budding actress Iori. But most of all, Ichitaka tries to remain true to his feelings. Are these two "I"s destined to find happiness together, or does fate have other ideas?

Widely known in anime circles as the character designer for IRIA: ZEIRAM THE ANIMATION, a Science Fiction series about a sexy female bounty hunter, I”s creator Masakazu Katsura is also a popular manga artist celebrated for the buxom beauties and madcap stories that are a focal point of his work. His best-selling series VIDEO GIRL AI is also published domestically by VIZ Media.

“This zany and often unexpectedly sweet romantic comedy, understandably celebrated by fans of the original I”s manga, plays out wonderfully in this special 2-disc DVD box set,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President Sales & Product Marketing. “Creator Masakazu Katsura's quirky sense of humor and penchant for drawing appealing young ladies will make I”s a unique favorite. We look forward to fans of the manga exploring this new DVD box set and encourage audiences that have yet to discover the humor and fun of I”s to check out both the manga and the anime series from VIZ Media!”

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.

Legendary Motorcycle Racer - Valentino Rossi - To Run The Monster Energy M-Claw Logo

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:48:00 +0000

6-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi joins the Monster Army to help further expand the fast-growing Monster Energy brand all over the world
CORONA, Calif., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Motorcycle racer Valentino Rossi is one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet. And now people are going to associate him with one of the most recognizable energy drink brands on the planet as well, as Rossi is set to run the Monster Energy M-claw logo on the 2009 MotoGP tour.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090212/LA70208)
Continuing its global push, the No. 1 by-volume sales energy drink in the United States - Monster Energy - will look to Rossi as a means of delivering Monster's 'core' message to the legions of fans that follow the world's premier two wheel road racing motorsport.
"Going Big has been our motto at Monster Energy for some time and aligning ourselves with Valentino Rossi is about as big as it gets in motorsports," said Mark Hall, President of Monster Energy. "We feel that Valentino is one of those rare athletes that not only defines his sport, he actually transcends it."
Rossi's race resume is stellar. Not yet 30-years-old, he stands as the only racer in the sport's history to have won world titles in the 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and MotoGP classes. And his 97 career race wins in 210 starts approaches a 50-percent win percentage that is absolutely mind boggling.
"I'm happy to join up with Monster Energy and to be one of the first European sportsman testimonials for this new brand," said Rossi. "Monster is growing all over the world and I am very excited to be joining them. I think that together we can make something special and the M-claw is going to look good on my new helmet!"
Monster Energy's Valentino Rossi began testing for his 2009 MotoGP title defense at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia this past weekend. The series opens on April 12th at the Grand Prix of Qatar.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it MotoGP, SX, rally, insane distance jumping, MX, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX - name it - the athletes are rockin' Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types - Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster's fruit juice hybrid dubbed "M-80," the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy "Hitman" energy shot. Valentino Rossi digs 'em - so will you. On the 'Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
Website: http://www.monsterenergy.com/

The Tokyo 2016 Olympic: Tokyo pushes 'compact' Games

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:30:00 +0000

The Tokyo 2016 Olympic bid committee is hoping that less will be more.
Less travel time to events and venues for athletes, spectators and media; a less harmful impact on the environment; less costly construction projects by using existing facilities.
"The idea is to have a compact Games that are very athlete-friendly," Yosuke Fujiwara, Tokyo 2016 senior executive officer of planning and PR, said during a recent media tour of the proposed venues. "You will be able to reach most of the venues from the athletes' village within 20 minutes."
Of course, they also point out that when it comes to overall finances, it doesn't hurt to have a little more.
Tokyo is up against bids from Chicago, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Summer Games. The winning bid will be announced by the International Olympic Committee on Oct. 2 in Copenhagen.
The focal point of the Tokyo proposal will be a brand-new 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium to be built in Tokyo Bay on reclaimed land, just northwest of Ariake Colosseum. The proposed stadium will be semi-enclosed and feature large solar panels and possibly wind turbines to cut down on the need for electricity.
With the new stadium as the centerpiece, organizers boast that 95 percent of the Olympic events will be held within an 8-kilometer radius. There will be preliminary round soccer matches at far-flung sites like Sapporo and Saitama, but for the most part, the events will be quite concentrated.
"With 95 percent of all venues located within the 8-kilometer radius, this will be the most compact Games ever," said Masanori Takaya, the bid's manager of international communications.
Takaya pointed out that within the 8-km circle, there would be five main venue "clusters" representing various themes. The "Palace Cluster," for example, would be geared toward Japanese culture while the "Sea Forest Cluster" would highlight sustainable Tokyo, with the planting of trees.
In keeping with the theme of an environmentally friendly Games, several facilities, such as the mountain-biking course and equestrian events, will be staged on landfill sites and reclaimed land.
"As part of our unique 'green' and sustainable Games plan, 20 out of 34 Olympic venues will be on reclaimed land, helping to ensure that Tokyo 2016 will be the 'greenest' Games ever staged," Fujiwara said. "This equates to approximately 60 percent of competition venues."
The Tokyo 2016 bid plans to use 23 existing venues with 11 new venues proposed, many of those to go up on land already owned by the metropolitan government. Among the more interesting venues that are already in operation, the Nippon Budokan, which was built for the 1964 Olympics, would host judo and the famed Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo arena will be the site of the boxing competition.
While Tokyo's proposal has gotten high marks from the IOC so far--the bid ranked first or second in 10 of the 11 categories assessed by the Candidature Acceptance Working Group--the biggest strength may be the metropolis' finances rather than its venue plans.
"The Tokyo metropolitan government has 6.6 trillion yen from its annual budget in its general account, the most for any city in the world," Takaya said. "We already have $4.4 billion (402 billion yen) secured for the Games from the TMG and Japan's central government will guarantee the event."
Not all in the Tokyo assembly, however, support huge spending on the Olympics with the total budget for the bid campaign alone to top 10 billion yen. Other funding for the Games will come from television rights, sponsorship from the private sector and ticket sales.
Final details of the Tokyo 2016 bid's budget will not be revealed until after Thursday, the deadline for the four cities to make their final candidature submissions to the IOC. After that, the next key date is in mid-April, when the IOC's evaluation commission hits town to check out the bid up close and personal.
Tokyo's bid initially suffered from public indifference--an IOC poll conducted in June showed that only 59 percent of the public backed Tokyo's Olympic bid, the lowest among all four candidate cities (Chicago 74 percent, Rio 77, Madrid 90)--but organizers say they have overcome that, pointing to a recent Internet poll that showed local support up to 70.2 percent. (That poll was carried out by a private entity commissioned by the Tokyo 2016 Bid Committee.)
Security concerns could work against both Madrid and Rio de Janeiro, which means Chicago is expected to be Tokyo's main competition in the race. The U.S. Midwest city will likely get a major boost from native son Barack Obama, the newly elected U.S. president who may travel to Copenhagen in October for the final vote. Tokyo organizers have countered that they hope to have Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso in Denmark, but even if Aso is still in power at the time, he would appear to be no match for the cachet and star-power of Obama.(IHT/Asahi: February 11,2009)

The Women's Connection, The Lolita Effect: Media and the Sexy Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:25:00 +0000

Press release submitted by The Women's Connection

University of Iowa Professor and Author Dr. Gigi Durham

To Present February 26 in the Quad Cities

The Lolita Effect: Media and the Sexy Girl

"How can I raise my daughters to have high self-esteem?"

"What"s the best way to talk about sexuality with young girls and boys?"

"How can we combat images of the sexy girl in today"s media?"

We live in a culture where primetime shows feature underage sex and sexual violence, toddlers play with dolls dressed in miniskirts and fishnets, and teenage girls undergo surgery to achieve Barbie-doll body types. How do we help our young girls – and boys – navigate through these sexual images and stereotypes?

The public is invited to join The Women"s Connection on February 26, noon, QC Waterfront Convention Center at the Isle of Capri, Bettendorf, for a luncheon event featuring University of Iowa Professor and author Dr. Gigi Durham, on "Media and the Sexy Girl." Cost is $18 for members, $20 for non-members. This event is sponsored by Western Illinois University Quad Cities Campus.

For more than a decade, Dr. Gigi Durham has conducted research on adolescents and the media, and she is committed to advocating for the rights of girls and women worldwide. Dr. Durham will identify five core myths of sexuality found in mainstream media targeted at children and adolescents, and she"ll provide clear strategies for parents and adults to work with children to recognize, understand and resist the consequences of these trends. Don"t miss out on this important discussion.

Event Facts

· Date: February 26, 2009

· Time: Noon to 1:15 p.m. Luncheon

· Location: Isle of Capri"s QC Waterfront Convention Center

· Speaker: Dr. Gigi Durham

· Event Fee: $18 members, $20 non-members

· To purchase tickets – call Colleen Rafferty at (309)631-0167 or register on-line at www.AskTWC.com. Registration deadline is Monday, February 23

The Women"s Connection is the largest women"s organization in the Quad Cities and is sponsored by Royal Neighbors of America and Trinity Regional Health System. The mission of TWC is to inspire, educate and connect women. TWC events provide women with an opportunity to learn, network and develop professional and personal relationships.

SI Cover Girl is On A Plane

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:18:00 +0000

Getty ImagesBar Rafaeli

YOU ARE NOW FREE TO GAWK ABOUT THE COUNTRY Bar Refaeli, the new cover girl for this year's Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, will grace a Southwest jet being dubbed "S.I. One," the Chicago Tribune reports.
After publicity events Wednesday morning in New York, Refaeil was "whisked away in a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 dubbed the 'S.I. One' for a cross-country promotional trip," according to MSNBC.com. The website adds that "in an ultimate honor, the plane will feature Refaeli's photo spread across its hull."
That revelation came on Wednesday morning's Today Show on NBC, where host Matt Lauer quipped: "Air traffic control is going to be a mess this afternoon."
And what's Refaeli's reaction? "I just heard the plane is going to still be active for a month later. I'm like, 'Oh, my God, it's one of the best things that's ever happened to me.' "

DA asks police for more investigation of Brown
Prosecutors said Tuesday they want more evidence from police before determining whether to press charges against Chris Brown, who's accused in a domestic dispute that reportedly involves pop superstar Rihanna.
Police presented a case regarding Brown on Tuesday, but did not release any of its details, Los Angeles County District Attorney spokeswoman Jane Robison said. She said the office would have no further comment on the case.
Brown was arrested Sunday night after surrendering to police, who sought the 19-year-old singer when a woman identified him as her attacker during a fight the night before. Numerous media outlets, citing sources and police officials who were not named, have identified the woman as 20-year-old Rihanna, Brown's longtime girlfriend.
Brown remains free on $50,000 bail, and he's withdrawn from public appearances in Phoenix scheduled for this weekend before the NBA All-Star game. Rihanna on Tuesday postponed a planned concert in Malaysia.
Brad Paisley leads ACM Awards with 6 nominations
Brad Paisley leads all finalists for the Academy of Country Music Awards with six nominations, but the biggest surprise might be former Trick Pony singer Heidi Newfield's five nods.
Paisley was nominated Wednesday for entertainer of the year and male vocalist, an honor he won last year. He's also a finalist for record, song and video of the year for "Waitin' on a Woman," and for vocal event of the year for "Start a Band" with Keith Urban.
Newfield released her solo debut, "What Am I Waiting For," last August. She's nominated in five categories, including song of the year and video of the year for "Johnny & June."
Kenny Chesney, the ACM's entertainer of the year four years running, received four nominations, including another in the coveted entertainer category.
George Strait and Jamey Johnson also received four nominations apiece, and for the first time in her career, Carrie Underwood is nominated for entertainer of the year. Underwood is also up for female vocalist, which she's won the last two years.
The Academy of Country Music Awards air on CBS from Las Vegas on April 5.
Will Smith tops Forbes.com's list of bankable stars
Will Smith was voted the most bankable star in Hollywood in a survey of industry professionals by Forbes.com.
The financial magazine's Web site gives the actor a score of 10 out of 10 for his bankability in its first "star currency" list, compiled by surveying more than 150 industry professionals.
Following Smith on the list: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio, who all tied for second with a score of 9.89. Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson rounded out the top 10.

Microsoft to Open Stores, Hires Retail Hand

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 03:13:00 +0000

By NICK WINGFIELD

Microsoft Corp. said it hired a former Wal-Mart Stores Inc. executive to help the company open its own retail stores, a strategy shift that borrows from the playbook of rival Apple Inc.

The Redmond, Wash., company said it hired David Porter, most recently the head of world-wide product distribution at DreamWorks Animation SKG, as corporate vice president of retail stores for Microsoft.

In a statement, Microsoft said the first priority of Mr. Porter, who is also a 25-year veteran of Wal-Mart, will be to define where to place the Microsoft stores and when to open them. A Microsoft spokesman said the company's current plans are for a "small number" of stores.

Microsoft

In a warehouse near its Redmond, Wash., campus, Microsoft created mockups for how Microsoft products might be displayed either in its own stores or in a retailer's.

Microsoft

It remains to be seen whether the effort can add some pizzazz to Microsoft's unfashionable image, which Apple has sought to reinforce with ads that mock its competitor. Mr. Porter, in a statement, said there are "tremendous opportunities" for Microsoft to create a "world-class shopping experience" for the company's customers.

"The purpose of opening these stores is to create deeper engagement with consumers and continue to learn firsthand about what they want and how they buy," Microsoft said in a statement.

The move is a sign of the deeper role consumer-technology companies are playing in the retail business, despite the many risks of straying from their traditional businesses of making hardware and software. Apple, of Cupertino, Calif., encountered widespread skepticism when it first began opening its own retail stores in 2001.

Eight years later, though, Apple's chain of more than 200 stores around the world are widely credited with helping the company boost sales of its Mac, iPod and iPhone product lines. The Apple stores, with their eye-catching architecture, highly-trained sales staff and "genius bars" that provide technical support, gave Apple a way to showcase its products in an environment where they weren't lumped in with a gamut of other electronics items. Sony Corp. and Bose Corp. also operate their own stores.

At the same time, some large electronics retailers have fallen on hard times amidst the weakening economy. CompUSA Inc. last year closed most of its retail stores, while Circuit City Stores Inc. is in the process of shutting down all of its stores and laying off more than 30,000 employees.

Microsoft has long flirted with the idea of doing its own store, even as it has tested ways that retail partners can better sell Microsoft products. In a 20,000-square-foot warehouse near its campus in the suburbs of Seattle, Microsoft has tested various retail concepts, complete with shelves displaying Xbox games and big computer monitors with touch-sensitive screens.

Key details about Microsoft's retail plans still need to be worked out, though. Microsoft said the stores could feature a range of products from personal computers running its Windows operating system to cellphones running the company's Windows Mobile operating system to its Xbox videogame console.

One of Mr. Porter's tasks will be to figure out whether to actually sell computers rather than merely show off their features. Any decision that favored some PC makers and left others off store shelves could anger some hardware partners.

Stephen Baker, an analyst at NPD Group Inc., which tracks retailers, said Apple doesn't face the dilemmas Microsoft will in the retail business because Apple makes the hardware and software for its products. "That's going to be a big challenge for Microsoft," Mr. Baker said.

A spokeswoman for Hewlett-Packard Co., one of Microsoft's biggest hardware partners in the PC business, declined to comment on Microsoft's retail strategy. Spokesmen for Dell Inc. didn't respond to requests for comment.

Microsoft's store plans could also irk existing retail partners like Best Buy Co., on whom Microsoft is especially dependent for sales to consumers. Best Buy representatives didn't return calls requesting comment. Microsoft said it will share the lessons it learns from its own stores with other retailers.

The failures of other stores opened by technology companies will loom over Microsoft as it launches its stores. In 2004, computer maker Gateway Inc. shuttered a network of more than 188 company-owned retail stores after weak sales. Microsoft itself operated a Microsoft store inside a movie-theater complex in San Francisco beginning in 1999, but two years later shut down the store -- which showcased, but didn't sell, Microsoft products.

—Justin Scheck contributed to this article.

Write to Nick Wingfield at nick.wingfield@wsj.com

Windows 7 upgrade plans leaked

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:28:00 +0000

MICROSOFT INTENDS to minimise the number of potential new customers delaying their computer purchasing decisions because of the impending launch of Windows 7, by offering what some commentators are assuming will be free upgrades from Vista.

A leaked draft document which was distributed to OEMs, and sneakily acquired by Techarp, gives details of what is currently being called the 'Windows 7 Upgrade Program'.

The programme is firmly aimed at consumers and includes no support for multiple upgrades for enterprise. Companies will be asked to use the volume licensing programme, details of which will be released at a later date.

The biggest kick in the teeth, however, will be for anyone who decided not to stump up the extra cash for one of Microsft's top-tier operating systems.

Anyone cheap enough to go for Vista Home Basic, Vista Starter Edition or XP will be left out in the cold when Windows 7 rolls into town.

The only viable upgrade paths are:

Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium
Vista Business to Windows 7 Professional and
Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Ultimate

There are no details of costings, either to OEMs or end users, and Microsoft is leaving it up to individual partners to decide how to provide qualifying customers with details of possible upgrades.

Super sexy in slinky latex

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:03:00 +0000

THE slinky outfit had a surprising effect when Malin Akerman was cast as a superhero in the Hollywood movie Watchmen.

While the tight latex costume and high heels were not exactly comfortable to put on, the Swedish-born actress said yesterday that they were made her feel "super sexy".

"Every time a girl puts on a pair of heels, you feel like a different person," she told Stay in Touch. "And just getting in those heels and seeing the reaction of the boys on set, it was, 'All right. This is going to work."'

The 30-year-old, who has featured in 27 Dresses and The Heartbreak Kid, plays a former superhero who helps solve a murder in the $US100 million ($153 million) movie, based on a hit graphic novel. Watchmen is not released until next month, but Akerman has already met some of the book's rabid - and geeky - fans.

"There are some that start to stutter and don't really know what to say or don't really know where to look. For the most part they're either really excited or really nervous."

The director, Zack Snyder, whose last movie was the Spartan epic 300, found it challenging to turn a dense story into a movie that runs for two hours, 37 minutes. Lest hardcore fans feel robbed, there are plans for a cinema run of the director's cut, which runs for three hours, 10 minutes, later in the year.

Read more about Watchmen in today's Metro.

REALITY TELEVISION

The Seven and Nine networks have sustained strong audience numbers for news and current affairs programs this week while extending their half-hour bulletins to an hour to cover the bushfire disaster.

On Wednesday 1.58 million viewers watched the first half-hour of Seven News at 6pm, making it the most watched program of the night,

followed by the second half-hour at 6.30pm, which drew 1.54 million viewers.

Nine averaged 1.26 million for its first half hour and 1.24 million for the second.

The extended coverage has meant both Today Tonight and A Current Affair have screened at 7pm. On Wednesday the two programs, which rated 1.3 million and 1.1 million respectively, pushed the 7pm ABC news (which usually draws an average national audience of about 1 million) down to 942,000, and, for the third night running, was beaten by The 7.30 Report, with 990,000 viewers (down slightly on Tuesday's figure of 1.07 million and Monday's 1.2 million).

Other popular shows on Wednesday included Australia's Got Talent (1.3 million) and Criminal Minds (1.2 million) on Seven, House on Ten and Nine's season return of The Farmer Wants A Wife, both with 1.07 million. Gangs Of Oz, Seven's pitch at the "real" Underbelly, rated 1.02 million at 9.30pm.

RIHANNA REVENGE

Not every event that is planned around Valentine's Day has a romantic feel. A New York radio station, WBLI, has invited fans of the R&B singer Rihanna to shred CDs and posters of her boyfriend, the singer Chris Brown, who is accused of assaulting her. The station's operations manager, Nancy Cambino, said: "Valentine's Day should stand for love, so we find it fitting to make the Friday the 13th right before Valentine's Day a day for revenge for those who were unlucky in love.

"Whether you're a Rihanna fan or not, we can all empathise with being with someone who caused love to go wrong."

Brown was arrested last weekend after allegedly attacking Rihanna, who suffered a split lip, contusions on her forehead and bite marks on her arms.

According to the US gossip website TMZ, the couple started fighting in his rented Lamborghini after a star-studded pre-Grammy party. Both were last-minute cancellations at the Grammy Awards, where they were due to perform.

Prosecutors have asked for further investigation into the incident before pressing charges. Brown is due to appear in court on March 5. Two advertising campaigns starring Brown have been suspended, and several radio stations are refusing to play his songs. Rihanna has cancelled several events in the coming weeks.

BAT MAN GOES SCI-FI

The director of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan, has settled on his next movie - and this time it has nothing to do with the Caped Crusader.

The Hollywood studio Warner Bros has given the nod to Inception, which is being described as a sci-fi action movie "set within the architecture of the mind", which makes it sound like The Matrix.

But whatever the movie sounded like, there is no doubt that The Dark Knight's remarkable worldwide box office of about $US1 billion made financing a breeze.

As The Hollywood Reporter tartly noted: "One would suppose a treatment based on some poems he wrote in his fifth-grade journal would have gotten the green light."

THREE QUESTIONS Matt Shirvington

What is your favourite Olympic moment?Kieren Perkins in 1996 at the Atlanta Games winning the 1500 metre final from lane 8. He was the outside chance and won. It's one of the greatest underdog stories of all time.

Do you ever bust out any of your Dancing With The Stars moves?Actually, at my brother-in-law's wedding, which was not long after the show, I had a dance with my wife, which I found a lot more comfortable to do than before the show.

How do you feel about your nickname, the Lunchbox?It's definitely not a nickname I chose for myself or encourage. However, there are worse things to be called.

Lisa Perkovic

For Better Sex, You Probably Need More Than Correlation

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:31:00 +0000

By Justin Wolfers

I finally got around to viewing the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) ad that NBC decided to ban from its Super Bowl coverage. I had imagined a rather sordid broccoli-loaded affair. But it turns out it was just like a Victoria’s Secret spot, only a bit more nutritious.

The point of the ad was that “Vegetarians have better sex.” Now that’s provocative — provocative enough to stimulate this confirmed omnivore to further research. Here’s what I learned.

PETA does not actually have direct evidence that vegetarians have better sex. Instead, it argues that:

Research has shown that vegetarians enjoy greater amounts of the nutrients that help boost sexual health and performance — such as vitamins A, C, and E and potassium — than meat-eaters do.

There’s a logical gap between PETA’s evidence and its conclusions. Any student of statistics knows the perils of mislabeling correlation as causation. But that’s not the problem here, as PETA is simply claiming a correlation between vegetarianism and better sex. But even if X (being vegetarian) is positively correlated with Y (ingesting vitamins A, C, and E), and Y (more vitamins) causes Z (better sex), we still don’t have enough information to conclude that X (being vegetarian) is positively correlated with Z (better sex).

Here’s a simple counter-example: when I get a cold, I take a multi-vitamin and I eat a few more veggies; you probably do something similar. But even as we both “enjoy greater amounts of the nutrients that help boost sexual health and performance,” I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t conclude that people with colds have better sex.

Interestingly, this is a case where a causal claim (become a vegetarian and you’ll have better sex) may be warranted, even if the asserted correlation (vegetarians have better sex) is wrong. That is, if vegetables are more loaded with the relevant nutrients than the alternative (which seems likely), and if those nutrients do improve sexual performance (as PETA asserts), then PETA would be on firm ground concluding that “vegetarianism causes better sex.” But causation isn’t correlation.

We can investigate the asserted correlation directly. Is vegetarianism correlated with better sex? The General Social Survey asks: “How often do you refuse to eat meat for moral and environmental reasons?” That sounds like it will isolate the folks PETA is talking about.

While there’s no data on the quality of sex, the frequency with which people had sex over the past year is measured, and so we can investigate the related question of whether vegetarians have more sex. It’s not quite the same as PETA’s claim, but if you believe that quality shifts demand curve up, then folks having better sex will also want more of it.

In the following chart, I divide the population according to their degrees of ethical vegetarianism. For each group (shown in each panel), the bars show a simple histogram — the proportions of that group reporting various degrees of sexual activity. Adding up the right-most three bars tells us the proportion of each group having sex at least weekly. Around 40 percent to 45 percent of people report having sex at least once per week, and there’s no real difference between ethical vegetarians and carnivores — a fact confirmed by a formal chi-squared test.

Unfortunately, it looks like there’s nothing here to support PETA’s purported vegetarian-sex link. I’m from a mixed household, and so my vegetarian partner is keen to remind me that quality and quantity are very different things. In fact, she finds my quantity evidence too weak to shift her beliefs, which remain firmly in the PETA camp.

Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:07:00 +0000

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th-century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.

The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend in average twice as much money as women.

Saint Valentine

For more details on this topic, see Saint Valentine.

Numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine Until 1969, the Catholic Church formally recognized eleven Valentine's Days. The Valentines honored on February 14 are Valentine of Rome (Valentinus presb. m. Romae) and Valentine of Terni (Valentinus ep. Interamnensis m. Romae). Valentine of Rome was a priest in Rome who suffered martyrdom about AD 269 and was buried on the Via Flaminia. His relics are at the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome and at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland.

Valentine of Terni became bishop of Interamna (modern Terni) about AD 197 and is said to have been killed during the persecution of Emperor Aurelian. He is also buried on the Via Flaminia, but in a different location than Valentine of Rome. His relics are at the Basilica of Saint Valentine in Terni (Basilica di San Valentino).

The Catholic Encyclopedia also speaks of a third saint named Valentine who was mentioned in early martyrologies under date of February 14. He was martyred in Africa with a number of companions, but nothing more is known about him.

No romantic elements are present in the original early medieval biographies of either of these martyrs. By the time a Saint Valentine became linked to romance in the fourteenth century, distinctions between Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni were utterly lost.

In the 1969 revision of the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints, the feastday of Saint Valentine on February 14 was removed from the General Roman Calendar and relegated to particular (local or even national) calendars for the following reason: "Though the memorial of Saint Valentine is ancient, it is left to particular calendars, since, apart from his name, nothing is known of Saint Valentine except that he was buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14." The feast day is still celebrated in Balzan (Malta) where relics of the saint are claimed to be found, and also throughout the world by Traditionalist Catholics who follow the older, pre-Vatican II calendar.

The Early Medieval acta of either Saint Valentine were excerpted by Bede and briefly expounded in Legenda Aurea. According to that version, St Valentine was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this, he was executed. Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing the blind daughter of his jailer.

Legenda Aurea still providing no connections whatsoever with sentimental love, appropriate lore has been embroidered in modern times to portray Valentine as a priest who refused an unattested law attributed to Roman Emperor Claudius II, allegedly ordering that young men remain single. The Emperor supposedly did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. When Claudius found out about this, he had Valentine arrested and thrown in jail. In an embellishment to The Golden Legend, on the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he wrote the first "valentine" himself, addressed to a young girl variously identified as his beloved, as the jailer's daughter whom he had befriended and healed, or both. It was a note that read "From your Valentine."

Attested traditions

Lupercalia

Main article: Lupercalia

Though popular modern sources link unspecified Greco-Roman February holidays alleged to be devoted to fertility and love to St Valentine's Day, Professor Jack Oruch of the University of Kansas argued that prior to Chaucer, no links between the Saints named Valentinus and romantic love existed. Thus, it is immaterial to the history of Valentine's Day whether or not in the ancient Athenian calendar the period between mid-January and mid-February was the month of Gamelion, dedicated to the sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera.

In Ancient Rome, Lupercalia, observed February 13 through 15, was an archaic rite connected to fertility, without overtones of romance. Lupercalia was a festival local to the city of Rome. The more general Festival of Juno Februa, meaning "Juno the purifier "or "the chaste Juno," was celebrated on February 13-14. Pope Gelasius I (492-496) abolished Lupercalia.

While it is a common opinion that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to christianize celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia, no connection has been demonstrated.

Geoffrey Chaucer by Thomas Occleve (1412)

Chaucer's love birds

While some claim the first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer this may be the result of misinterpretation. Chaucer wrote:

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

This poem was written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia. A treaty providing for a marriage was signed on May 2, 1381. (When they were married eight months later, he was 13 or 14, and she was 14.)

Readers have uncritically assumed that Chaucer was referring to February 14 as Valentine's Day; however, mid-February is an unlikely time for birds to be mating in England. Henry Ansgar Kelly has pointed outthat in the liturgical calendar, May 2 is the saints' day for Valentine of Genoa. This St. Valentine was an early bishop of Genoa who died around AD 307.

Chaucer's Parliament of Foules is set in a fictional context of an old tradition, but in fact there was no such tradition before Chaucer. The speculative explanation of sentimental customs, posing as historical fact, had their origins among eighteenth-century antiquaries, notably Alban Butler, the author of Butler's Lives of Saints, and have been perpetuated even by respectable modern scholars. Most notably, "the idea that Valentine's Day customs perpetuated those of the Roman Lupercalia has been accepted uncritically and repeated, in various forms, up to the present"

Medieval period and the English Renaissance

Using the language of the law courts for the rituals of courtly love, a "High Court of Love" was established in Paris on Valentine's Day in 1400. The court dealt with love contracts, betrayals, and violence against women. Judges were selected by women on the basis of a poetry reading.

The earliest surviving valentine is a fifteenth-century rondeau written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his "valentined" wife, which commences.

Je suis desja d'amour tanné
Ma tres doulce Valentinée…
(Charles d'Orléans, Rondeau VI, lines 1–2)

At the time, the duke was being held in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt, 1415.

Valentine's Day is mentioned ruefully by Ophelia in Hamlet (1600-1601):

To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes,
And dupp'd the chamber-door;
Let in the maid, that out a maid
Never departed more.
(William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5)

Valentine's Day postcard, circa 1910

Modern times

The reinvention of Saint Valentine's Day in the 1840s has been traced by Leigh Eric Schmidt. As a writer in Graham's American Monthly observed in 1849, "Saint Valentine's Day... is becoming, nay it has become, a national holyday." In the United States, the first mass-produced valentines of embossed paper lace were produced and sold shortly after 1847 by Esther Howland (1828-1904) of Worcester, Massachusetts. Her father operated a large book and stationery store, but Howland took her inspiration from an English valentine she had received, so clearly the practice of sending Valentine's cards had existed in England before it became popular in North America. The English practice of sending Valentine's cards appears in Elizabeth Gaskell's Mr. Harrison's Confessions (published 1851). Since 2001, the Greeting Card Association has been giving an annual "Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary." The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend in average twice as much money as women.

Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The mid-nineteenth century Valentine's Day trade was a harbinger of further commercialized holidays in the United States to follow.

In the second half of the twentieth century, the practice of exchanging cards was extended to all manner of gifts in the United States, usually from a man to a woman.Such gifts typically include roses and chocolates packed in a red satin, heart-shaped box. In the 1980s, the diamond industry began to promote Valentine's Day as an occasion for giving jewelry. The day has come to be associated with a generic platonic greeting of "Happy Valentine's Day." As a joke, Valentine's Day is also referred to as "Singles Awareness Day." In some North American elementary schools, children decorate classrooms, exchange cards, and eat sweets. The greeting cards of these students often mention what they appreciate about each other.

The rise of Internet popularity at the turn of the millennium is creating new traditions. Millions of people use, every year, digital means of creating and sending Valentine's Day greeting messages such as e-cards, love coupons or printable greeting cards.

Google, Microsoft: I Sync, You Sync, We All Sync

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:38:00 +0000

Talk about strange bedfellows: Google (NSDQ:GOOG) Monday licensed software from rival Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT)'s Exchange ActiveSync protocol that will let Google users transfer data to iPhones and Windows Mobile phones.

Microsoft also said it recently expanded its Exchange ActiveSync Licensing Program, which includes partners and competitors Apple, Nokia, Palm, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, among others.

Google Sync, currently in beta, uses push technology that lets iPhone and Windows Mobile devices get Gmail Contacts and Google Calendar events to phones.

When Sync is set up on phones, it automatically starts synchronizing a user's address book and calendar in the background and over-the-air and allows changes or additions to transfers over devices in minutes. For example, when a colleague changes the time of the TPS report cover sheets meeting, it will let alert Sync users immediately.

As a security feature, data is automatically backed up to Google accounts, so information is stored even if a user loses their phone.

In addition, for devices that support the open SyncML protocol, Google Sync allows two-way contacts synchronization. For BlackBerry users, a version of Google Sync is already available.

"This agreement is a great example of Microsoft' s openness to generally license our patents under fair and reasonable terms so long as licensees respect Microsoft intellectual property," said Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft's deputy general counsel and vice president, Intellectual Property and Licensing, in a statement.

Kago Ai's new movie Kung Fu Chefs

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:39:00 +0000

After Kago's comeback last April, she announced she would be appearing in a Hong Kong film co-starring Sammo Hung and Vanness Wu. Now two trailers for "Kung Fu Chefs" (功夫厨神) have been released online.

In the first trailer you can also hear Kago singing on the soundtrack. Vanness Wu wrote on his blog:

The trailer is out, seems better than the last movie i did. Well I know this much....the music this time for sure definitely kicks some major tail. Me and Mr. Tye was coming up with it while we were in China, and I'm really excited to say that we were able to have Ai Kago lace us with some of her vocals....and as if that wasn't enough...Uncle Sammo came through with some Filthy Flows!!!

The movie's release date is February 19.

Who said Idol’s never Cry? H!P Elders Graduate!

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:20:00 +0000

Hello! Project’s Elder Club graduated on Feb. 1st. And I haven’t had a chance to see it, but I also don’t want to. It’s just going to depressing, like graduations, but on a mammoth scale. Because it’s not just one or two or even four members… it’s all of the great Idols that we’ve watched grow and improve. It’s favorites like Mari Yaguchi and Kaori Iida, and Hitomi Yoshizawa and Tsuji Nozomi. Members who we were so excited to see come back leaving us once again, like Makoto Ogawa and Asami Konno. It’s heart breaking! It’s 22 of our favorites gone. Originals like Nacchi, Yuko, Kei and Kaori~! Gone. entertaining ones like Charmy and Mikitty. Soloists like Ayaya and Yuki Maeda! With Yui Okada & Erika Miyoshi gone, there’s none of the ex-Biyuuden members left. Mai Satoda and Atsuko Inada of Country musume. Gone. non H!P eggs of Ongaku Gatas! Gone. There’s is hope for Melon Kinenbi, who although is graduating has said that they will remain together. Of course, I’m surprised why they’re staying together, they weren’t really all that popular and they haven’t exactly been shooting out singles or albums. That said, I wouldn’t mind seeing them sign up to a different agency that would allow their music to grow into something more than pop idol music. There was a very special guest backstage though! Anyone remember Aya Ishiguro? She was most certainly one of the coolest original members ever! Here’s how she used to look in Morning Musume way back then in case it triggers any memories. She had the nose ring, had past tense, she’s a mom now, I doubt she has it anymore.
This picture is from the Morning Musume first photo album anniversary book in case anyone was wondering. Such a beautiful picture.
And then this is her backstage with Mari Yaguchi and Kei Yasuda. I find it funny how different Mari & Kei look when compared to Aya, the whole difference in outfit alone is funny.

Some more pictures of the concert

This was probably the hardest thing for Yuko to do. This is when Yuko Nakazawa gives Ai Takahashi the role of leader of H!P. Yuko used to be the oldest and the “mother” and “leader” of H!P, which really meant nothing, but it meant that she was greatly looked up to and had been there the longest. But since she’s graduating along with most of the other conditioned members, it is now up to Ai Takahashi. Ai is now the oldest member in H!P and considered the leader of H!P. I can’t imagine the pain for Yuko. H!P was her start, it was her life, Morning Musume, she grew and improved and watched all her friends graduate until she did and even then continued mentoring. She did shows and everything revovled around her and her ‘yanki’ tendencies, which would always be a joke, it was mostly how she would act unladly like once in a while really. But it was all H!P related, the shows, the performances, the music and dances. She was in H!P for so many years, it must be quite painful to have to just give it up like that.
Such a sad event, even Yossie is crying…

Here Yuko & Nacchi walk down crying, Kei being on the bottom, she seems sad, but not nearly as distraught as the other two are. That said, I feel Kei has been shunned in H!P for way too long, Hopefully she’ll continue on to new and better things.

I’m glad Kago was fired before this… I mean, I adore Kago and was so upset when she was finally fired from H!P. But the way I see it, she has started her career up again. If she had stayed in H!P she would’ve been shown the door, this was a mass firing. I hope they can all find jobs after this. Though Kago already had to find a job, and now she’s doing movies, two trailers for Kung Fu Chef are now online (a movie that Kago is in, I heard that she lent her voice in some of the music!) Not to mention she was in a play recently. She has a blog and a fan club already “the Biscuit Club” and apparently she wants to graduate from an american high school and “battle against foreign teachers” and she wants to study English so I wish her the best, since, as I’m sure all Aibon fans know… she’s not very good at English…

Angelina Jolie Wows In Low Cut Dress At Brad Pitt's Japanese Premiere

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:13:00 +0000

The Tomb Raider star looked stunning on the red carpet in a floor-length black satin gown that showed plenty of cleavage.
Fans queued for hours before the premiere to get autographs of Hollywood's golden couple.

And it seems the actress has perfected her red carpet wardrobe style, which effortlessly combines comfort and elegance.
Last week she sparked a new fashion trend after wearing a Max Azria dress backwards to the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The star's stylist Jen Rade has confirmed Angelina turned the blue dress she wore around so she could show off the tattoos on her back

Golden Globe Winner Kate Winslet Thinks the Wii Is Great

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:10:00 +0000

The Nintendo Wii is nothing short of a sales miracle in today's harsh market, which is affected by the recession. Its wide appeal to a variety of demographics made it a must buy for quite a lot of people and managed to pull the industry after it in terms of sales and popularity.

But Nintendo's small white box isn't popular with just average people, because, as it seems, celebrities and even the President of the United States, Barrack Obama, are also getting into the Wii hype and are using it to relax with their own families or to have fun after a hard day of shooting on various locations. The latest actress to endorse the popular Japanese console is Golden Globe winner Kate Winslet, who has recently talked about her fun experiences.

When asked by a reporter about her reaction to the Oscar nominations she had just received, she revealed that at the time she was playing on the Wii with her son. She said that, although Wii Tennis was a great experience, the most hilarious one was Wii Boxing, which really made her laugh and have a good time in the company of her family.

“It was extraordinary, I was playing Wii Tennis with my son,” the actress relayed to E! Television. “It is fantastic. The boxing is the funniest thing of all. Because you're boxing the air... I'm watching my little five year old go [convincing Wii Sports boxing sounds]. It's hysterical.”

So it seems that the Wii is truly becoming a worldwide phenomenon and is currently making Nintendo recession proof, which can't be said about its main rivals, Sony and Microsoft, who are employing drastic cost-cutting measures, with their staffs suffering a pretty severe headcount reduction.

There you have it – when you'll be playing Wii Sports, remember that even celebrities are having a great time doing what you do. Hopefully, this will make gaming a more mainstream culture and more people will start playing video games.

Erika Sawajiri Hot Photo Album

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:01:00 +0000

Bump On The Asphalt: [Drama] 1 Litre of Tears

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:59:00 +0000

Starring: Sawajiri Erika, Nishikido Ryo, Yakushimaru Hiroko, Jinnai Takanori, Fujiki Naohito, Narumi Riko, Sanada Yuma, Matsuyama Kenichi...

In 1986, a girl named Kito Aya, aged 15, was diagnosed with an incurable diseased called Spinocerebellar Atrophy. As part of her rehabilitation treatment and in order to help the doctor understand more of her situation, she was asked to keep a diary about the details of her disease and how it affects her daily life and also how she feels about practically everything. This diary was later published and inspired many patients to hang on in their battle against various sicknesses. This diary was the basis for this drama.

The drama follows the story of Ikeuchi Aya, 15 years old. The eldest daughter of a tofu shop owner with a caring and warm family. Aya has always been a happy, kind and hardworking girl with an optimistic view in life. The drama opens on the day of Aya's big entrance exam to high school. On the way to school, Aya tripped and knocked down a row of bicycles. By chance, a boy named Asou Haruto was contemplating to not take the entrance exam when Aya's accident happened. Haruto had no choice but to help Aya rearrange the bicycles and then sent Aya to the examination hall. A teacher later permitted the two to take the exams despite being late.

Aya continued to excel in studies and sports, being part of the highschool female basketball team and also the class representative. She also was dating a senior named Kawamoto. The future was seemingly bright for the 15-year-old until her mother noticed that she was tripping and dropping things a lot. When she fell and hit her head on a date with Kawamoto, her mother put her through a medical examination and it was found that she has a disease called Spinocerebellar Atrophy.

The disease will affect Aya's ability to move gradually. Her limbs would soon be difficult to control and speaking and breathing would prove to be a difficult task. Despite such a knowledge that her life would be greatly changed over the coming years, Aya decided that she should just try her best at what she was able to do and graciously accept the help of those around her although she felt bad for troubling them. She later realized that she had to give up a lot of things as Kawamoto decided that dating a sick girl was too much for him to handle and basketball was something that she could no longer do. But then there were those who remained helpful such as Aya's friends Mari and Saki, and also Haruto, who was always there to silently help her and cheer her up. Aya's family was also doing their best to ensure that Aya's life would to change drastically because of the disease.

However, the disease, being incurable, showed no signs of slowing down and soon, highschool seemed too much for Aya to keep up with. She was later transferred to a school for disabled people and had to bid goodbye to the highschool which she loved so much. When Aya felt down because of she could no longer do the things that she could do before the disease, that she was so different from the active self that she was, she would continue to write in her diary words of encouragement to herself. And apart from her family, Haruto was an important support for Aya.

The drama continues to follow Aya's situation and a decade later, when Aya was 25, her body finally gave in to the disease...

*****

^^ I just realized that my crap-talking about this drama was too crappy and was also left in another blog and that didn't do it justice as this was THE drama for me. This drama sparked my drama interest. Though I watched various Japanese dramas on TV, I wasn't particularly into them. I just watched and that was it. And this drama came along. With a brilliant soundtrack and pretty people starring in it. The storyline is great too. What more can one ask for?

It is strange though, when I watch this drama, I cannot see how Sawajiri can be this nice and then be such a bitch in real life. xD But hey, it is because she was in this drama that no matter what she does, I'll still be remembering her as Ikeuchi Aya. The same with Nishikido Ryo. This drama is probably the best thing that happened to them both, as actors. Sure, Ryo was famous as a Johnny's Junior, his group activities were fine too, but it is this drama that introduced Ryo to many non-Johnny's fans and overseas people who watched Japanese dramas. If the two on-screen lovebirds had any chemistry, it wasn't translated through the screen.

However, since then until now, Nishikido hasn't been the leading character in a drama before. I am a bit disappointed with that and am still intently waiting for him to get an opportunity to lead. I knew he wasn't ready yet, even during "Last Friends", but perhaps in a few more drama season's time. I hope he is not going to play second fiddle for the rest of his career. Nishikido Ryo can be a total impudent, rude asshole in real life. I don't care. xD One great character and the actor's image will be stuck to my head as that character. ^^ Hey, it is the first step towards seeing the best in people, though I have yet to do that with the people I know in real life.... xD

Anyways, Narumi Riko was also very impressive in here. To think that she was 13 when she was filming this... even more impressive. I foresee great things from her. She's very pretty too. Though I have problems watching "Hachimitsu to Clover", it isn't her fault though. I just really disliked the movie version with Aoi Yuu playing Hagumi. I like Aoi Yuu, but her portrayal of that character pissed me off to no end. TO NO END.

Sawajiri Erika. Married and has not been involved in a drama OR a movie since 2007. Such a waste! And the man is like... 44 years old. 22 years her senior. I mean, she can do better, richer, hotter. What the hell is she thinking? I don't rule out the possibility of love. I would too marry someone that much older than me. That is, if he looks like McDreamy. Gosh, McDreamy is hot. That hair~ But hey, whatever floats their boat, mmmkay?

But it is a disappointment that she isn't working more. She could have done more. I won't be satisfied if I had to give up a career that has yet to peak just because I am getting married. Such a waste. Anyways, her life, not mine.

The drama is one of the must-watch. It didn't achieve high viewership ratings, but it is warm, moving and inspiring. Keep in mind that there was this girl who was struggling with this disease. The hardships portrayed were not fiction. And she persisted and hung on to life as it slips through her fingers. Regardless of all the pain, she hung on to life. A life that those without any disease would waste away.

And among all that, I was initially pulled in by Asou Haruto. Who is probably a fiction, drama-only character. I can't help it. Fangirl instincts. And Ryo's shy and reserved portrayal of the character makes the character reminds me of him. Only a bit kinder and I cannot ever imagine Nishikido Ryo crying. I have seen it numourous times on TV, but as someone else. As Asou Haruto, as Oikawa Sousuke, as Ariake Taisuke. Not as Nishikido Ryo... I just think he's a dead-inside psychopath. xD What? I have a thing or two to say about his hair in here. Didn't suit him, but it was better than that red/blonde perm he had way back when. Erika looks best here, to me.

And young love. It is when we were young that we would be so reckless to get involved in hairy situations. Falling for a sick girl IS a hairy situation. As we grow older, we are too rational to do things like that. Everything becomes something that one should think about carefully, balance the pros and cons. See if there is a chance of having a good return on your investments. Investments of time, effort, affection and money. But when we were younger, such things didn't matter. What I would give to be able to be reckless and brave like that again. To have the freedom to act without thinking about the consequences. I didn't appreciate or make use of the chances to do that when I had them. T_T Oh well.

The songs "Konayuki" and "3 Gatsu 9 Ka" became frequent visitors to my playlist. Even now. ^^ I have gradually forgotten why I liked them so much apart from the songs being good, but after re-watching the drama, a song that is being tied to a good drama is twice as good.

War Breaks Out Amongst Korean Pop Fans, Casualties Not Out of the Question

noreply@blogger.com (Sakura District, Inc) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:55:00 +0000

Gotta love this — fans of the groups Big Bang and Wondergirls recently joined forces to reserve up to 1700 tickets for the upcoming concert by Dong-bang-shin-ki (DBSK), only to relinquish the tickets at the last minute, rendering the seats useless and costing promoters about 10 million won ($7,225 USD).
I have some insights into how Korean pop fans operate, though thankfully not too many that are first hand. They’re obsessive to put it mildly, and like a number of things in Korean culture, they don’t shy away from taking things to an emotional extreme. Think I’m exaggerating to make for a better post? Well, check out the DBSK Wikipedia page, which details an incident from 2006 in which a DBSK anti-fan tried to murder member Jung Yunho (aka U-Know) by handing him a beverage mixed with super glue.

From Wikipedia:

While the group was filming a variety show in October 2006, U-Know was rushed to the hospital from drinking a beverage given by an anti-fan. U-Know drank from the bottle, believing it was given by a crew member. Because the drink was spiked with super glue, he was quickly instructed by his manager to vomit immediately after drinking it. The Anti turned herself in the next day. The female suspect, whose surname is Ko, apprehended on October 16, was a member of an anti-TVXQ (DBSK) website for over two years. In a letter to TVXQ (DBSK), she states:
“You watch your mouth! Ever since the debut you people (members of TVXQ) were so stuck up. (middle fingers) You people won’t last after a couple years… You would be forever seen as some teen idols not real singers. Do you know your limit? Only little kids like you!…I really want to kill you.”
The incident still left behind unanswered questions, such as why U-know drank from the open container, and how the culprit managed to enter the building of the broadcasting station. U-Know called the police personally to request them not to press charges because “he has a little sister who is almost the woman’s age.” Because of his request, she was not charged.

One can only hope that this fan war doesn’t break out into something serious. Or, on the other hand, one can very much hope things break out into something quite serious. The Big Bang fans (called VIPs) and the Wondergirls fans (called Wonderfuls) have already issued a public apology. However, the DBSK fans (called Cassiopeias) have issued their own public declaration against the VIPs and Wonderfuls. Both statements can be read at PopSeoul, where the post reporting on the fan war has already netted some 320 comments.