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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in herne_kzn's LiveJournal:

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    Thursday, July 16th, 2009
    3:05 pm
    In putting together my collection of always-shiny-happy-joy music*, I've been listening a lot to The River.
    Damnit Bruce, why did the river have to be dry? You could have left a trickle in there but neeeeeew, a wet river would have been too cheerful for you wouldn't it.

    *Also featured are Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car", Suzanne Vega's "Luka", Gary Jules "Mad World", "How Soon is Now" and many, many more.
    2:38 pm
    Me, a year ago, "250Gb in my new machine, I'll never fill that."
    Me, this morning, "Hmm, that 250Gb external is only ￥8000."
    Friday, July 10th, 2009
    8:38 am
    Saturday, July 4th, 2009
    12:41 pm
    Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
    9:20 am
    Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
    9:29 am
    Geekery: Quantum computing
     http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090628171949.htm

    Have any of you seen tha Nature article? And if so, does it match this take on it?
    Thursday, June 25th, 2009
    10:31 am
    One of the things here that most amuses me is the tanuki (Nyctereutes procyonides viverrinus)
    Businesses and homes frequently have folkloric statues of tanuki at the door with eight traditional characteristics
    (1) a bamboo hat that protects against trouble, (2) big eyes to perceive the environment and help make good decisions, (3) a sake bottle that represents virtue, (4) a big tail that provides steadiness and strength until success is achieved, (5) over-sized testicles that symbolize financial luck, (6) a promissory note that represents trust, (7) a big belly that symbolizes bold decisiveness, and (8) a friendly smile.
    Note number 5. The testicles are an important part of the mythology, and of the statues (Wikipedia claims they're less common in modern statues, but I have seen no evidence of this).
    So..courtesy of Salon, here is a collection of 19th century woodblock prints showing the many uses of tanuki balls
    http://www.pinktentacle.com/2009/06/all-purpose-tanuki-testicles-prints-by-kuniyoshi/
    8:35 am
    Police, followup
     So, the deed being done, we went to Kanazawa again to fetch them, which was surprisingly painless. Just signed the chit and 'twas done.
    But (oh you knew there was a but there didn't you gentle reader)
    There are in sealed envelopes with stamps across the seals and strict instructions that we are not to open them. Yes gentle reader, I am not permitted to see my criminal record (hopefully my lack thereof). Headdesk! Tempted to steam it open anyway.
    That's right, I'm fighting the power.

    Then Saturday was the big farewell party for those in the prefecture leaving Japan. This was all very sad, particularly since we've been incredibly anti-social this year and only met some of the new people in the last few months, and other awesome people people weren't there (you know who you are). Poot. But I was chatting to a chap who's married a Japanese woman, charming gel, and to get her a spousal visa to the US they also need a criminal record check. Because she can (clearly) speak Japanese, the Identification Section were able to clearly and directly say to her "No, that's not our job."
    What utter cocks.
    Apparently being foreign and refusing to move does have its advantages.
    Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
    11:13 am
    Thrice accursed police
     So, I am leaving Japan in July. What I will do then I'm not 100% sure, but I have several irons in the fire, at least one of which involves living in Canada and others of which involve various other things that also require criminal background checks.
    So, I apply to the police for said piece of paper.

    In South Africa I went to the nearest cop-shop, with a photocopy of my ID book, gave them my fingerprints and came back in, I forget, 3 weeks maybe. I spent about 20 minutes in the station in total.
    In Japan, I had to go to the prefectural police headquarters in another city with my foreigner ID card, a residence certificate from my city hall and "some document proving my need for the record check", so I printed out the application guidelines for the Canadian study visa after having someone phone and check that that would be sufficient.
    Armed with these, the LC and I made an appointment, took an afternoon of leave and drove north (with a Japanese speaking friend who kindly took leave as well).

    So first we go to the wrong building, then the right building, then find the Identification section and hang about waiting for a while (apparently they can only see one person at a time, and were busy)
    Then we get into the office and the trouble starts. It seems that the "proof of need" I had brought was insufficient because I had no letter from the embassy addressed to me specifically saying that I required the document, and they spent the next 3 1/2 hours variously accusing us of lying about why we needed it checking their little book of who did need it, asking why the embassy hadn't been in contact with me, shaking their heads while whistling through their teeth and being paranoid about what we really needed it for.
    Eventually they bent <I'm guessing because it was getting close to knock-off time) and agreed to do the check but only after we'd promised that if we didn't really need it we were to return the certificate to them for destruction. After all, imagine what dastardly things I could do with a piece of paper proving I have no criminal record...mawahahahahaha. FFS people!!!
    Thursday, June 11th, 2009
    10:12 am
    Geek pic of the day

    The ISS booms extended :)
    Friday, May 29th, 2009
    4:48 pm
    2:33 pm
    Muslim marriage in South Africa
     Afternoon all, the M&G Online has an article today about the legal position of Muslim marriage in South Africa
    http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-05-28-marrying-rightw-with-tradition (sic)

    I'm not up on SA marriage law, but surely there're common-law protections for co-rabbiting couples. If not, that's a rather large hole in SA family law.
    Wednesday, May 27th, 2009
    10:59 am
    So, I woke up yesterday morning singing, "I Vow to thee my Country" which I probably haven't heard in 10 years.
    Apparently the conditioning we get at school works.
    Thursday, May 21st, 2009
    10:07 am
    The Umbrella, a Misunderstood Weapon

    A comedy article about self defence with the umbrella from 1897. The artwork is perfect.
    Monday, April 27th, 2009
    11:20 am
    Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
    2:56 pm
    So dear friends. "counter-reformatory" or "counter-reformationary". Google seems reasonably agnostic on the subject (both the the 500 odd hits range), I prefer the latter, but the pater is urging me towards the former.
    Friday, April 17th, 2009
    2:41 pm
    Thursday, April 16th, 2009
    10:29 am
    Ahh Ron Paul.

    http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21245.html

    Perhaps he was sent to us from a crazy alternate universe where goggle-wearing apes pilot zeppelins and defend them from biplane-flying air pirates. In his home universe, using privateers to fight pirates in the 21st Century is a SANE and RATIONAL response.

    Also, privateers will help defend us against the steam-powered longships of the Hollow Earth Vikings.

    Some days I want to live in that universe.
    9:34 am
    Thursday, April 9th, 2009
    9:26 am
    Sad geek news
     Many of you know me as a geek of one variety or another, well now it's confimed for the rest of you.

    Dave Arneson, co-creator of D&D (and thus giving early shape to the hobby I so love) died at 11pm yesterday at the age of 61. Dave was one of those I have to thank for many (many) pleasurable hours with some of the very people reading this.
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