chocolate-flavored bluespink

(Whenever I read this, I find it interesting and amazing)


it is kdina azminag..
cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd
waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the
hmuan mnid!

Aoccdrnig to a rseerach at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the
ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is
taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.
The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed
it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn
mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the
wrod as a wlohe.

Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling
was ipmorantt! tahts so cool!!! If you can
udernatnsd rdanieg tihs, rpeost!!!!!!

Today in our conversation class, we had an interesting activity. 

Rule
Everyone is asked to share 3 events about  her/his own experiences, of which 2 pieces are truth while 1 is a lie.  Simple descriptions are preferred.  After one's descriptions, others have chances to guess which one is not real about the speaker.  

Proficient liars can make up good stories without being discovered.  

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

a red-letter day 重要或值得紀念的日子

red with anger 氣炸了

a red light 危險或災難將臨

a red light district 風化區

a red herring 分散注意力的事物

red tape 繁文縟節

the yellow press 以聳動方式報導的報刊;黃色報刊

yellow pages 分類電話簿

the green-eyed monster 忌妒的怪獸

green with envy 忌妒

green fingers 園藝才能

greenhorn 無經驗易受騙的人

greenroom 演員休息室

a blue film 色情影片

a blue joke 黃色笑話

once in a blue moon 極少, 罕見

come out of the blue 大爆冷門, 令人跌破眼鏡

a bolt from the blue 晴天霹靂

a true blue 忠貞份子

a bluebook 藍皮書(政府發表之報告書)

a bluecolar 藍領階層

a bluestocking 女學者

a blueprint 藍圖

purple with rage 氣得臉色發紫

born in the purple 生於王室

in the pink 臉色紅潤 健康良好

black and blue 瘀青

a black look 怒視

blackart/blackmagic 妖術

black comedy 黑色喜劇

blackmail 勒索, 敲詐

blackmarket 黑市

blacksmith 鐵匠

blacksheep 害群之馬

blacklist黑名單

a white bear 北極熊

a white colar白領階級

a whitebook 白皮書

whitewash 掩飾過失

white-lipped 嚇得嘴唇發白

white-livered 膽小的

the White House 白宮

born with a silver spoon 生於富貴之家

the silver screen 螢光幕

brown sugar 紅糖

in a brown study 冥想中

Google Goes From Web to Webster's

By Dawn C. Chmielewski and Chris Gaither
Times Staff Writers

July 7, 2006

Google is officially a verb.

Google Inc.'s eponymous search engine became a sanctioned part of the English language Thursday, when "google" — with a small "g" — earned an entry among the 165,000 or so terms in the 11th edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary.

The definition: "to use the Google search engine to obtain information … on the World Wide Web." As in, "Let me google that."

Linguists said google entered the lexicon especially quickly. It reached the pages of the dictionary just five years after its first known public reference as a verb in a New York Post article. Usually, it takes 10 to 20 years for words to enter everyday use, if they make it at all.

Google's speed "is typical for words used on or about the Web," said John Morse, president and publisher of Merriam-Webster Inc. "Those are words that establish themselves in the language the quickest because of the power of the Web to propagate words."

Last month, the Oxford English Dictionary also added the verb "Google" — but with a capital "G" — to its online version.

Branding experts say such currency is hardly a blessing for a corporate trademark. Just ask the makers of Xerox copiers, Band-Aid bandages, Kleenex tissues or Jello gelatin.

"I think it's more of a curse," said Rob Frankel, an Encino consultant who has advised Walt Disney Co., Honda Motor Co. and Sony Corp. on branding issues.

Companies go to extremes to prevent their trademarks from falling into common parlance. A word that's in everyday use no longer enjoys legal protection, Frankel said.

Xerox Corp., for instance, ran an ad campaign imploring people not to refer to every photocopying machine as a "Xerox."

In the interests of safeguarding the trademark, attorneys for Johnson & Johnson advised the healthcare company to change the jingle for its adhesive bandage from "I am stuck on Band-Aid 'cause Band-Aid's stuck on me" to include the word "brand" after the corporate name.

"It goes, 'I am stuck on Band-Aid brand 'cause Band-Aid's stuck on me,' " Frankel said. "That is why they did that."

Google risks losing the value of its corporate trademark, he pointed out, if it becomes part of everyday speech.

Google appreciates the problem. In its 2005 annual report to investors, the Mountain View,

The corporate promotional landscape is littered with examples. "Cellophane," "aspirin" and "escalator" were once trademarks, not just product names.

Peter Sealey, a former chief marketing officer for Coca-Cola Co., said that while working for the soft drink giant, he was obliged to avoid using "Coke" as an adjective, even in internal memos (the "Coke media plan," for example, was verboten).

"We had to take elaborate steps to maintain the purity of the trademark," Sealey said.

At least for now, Google has offered a measured reaction to its inclusion in the dictionary, saying it approved of the word's use in references to the Google service specifically, not search engines in general.

Merriam-Webster's Morse said his company is sensitive to concerns about trademark. In its definition of "google," it notes that the verb is derived from Google, the trademark for an Internet search engine.

Merriam-Webster follows the same criteria to determine whether to add any word to the dictionary, he said, whether trademarked or not. The dictionary's editors are constantly monitoring print and electronic media for changing language.

"When we can establish a body of evidence that shows that a word is used in a wide variety of widely used sources over a period of years, then it's eligible for entry into the dictionary," Morse said.

That's how 100 new words made it into the 11th edition. Among the new entrants: "spyware," defined as "software that is installed in a computer without the user's knowledge and transmits information about the user's computer activities over the Internet" and "mouse potato," slang for someone "who spends a great deal of time using a computer."

When the dictionary is published in the fall, "google" will fall between "goofy" and "googly-eyed."

The next entry: "googol," the word from which Google the algorithm-crunching company derived its name — the number 1 followed by 100 zeroes.

 

Subject: 中文真的很有意思....老外很難懂

撰文╱曾志朗（中央研究院副院長，專長為認知心理學)

史密士是美國加州大學的企管所碩士，畢業後在矽谷一家
電子公司擔任行銷部副理，兩年前他被派到台灣分公司，
成了獨當一面的總經理。他在加大時曾經上過我的普通心
理學，來台灣後，偶爾會來找「老師」聊聊天，打打球，
也一齊去看場電影，我們變成了好朋友。

兩個月前，我到新竹交大去做場通識演講，講完後順道到
他公司去看看他。走進他辦公室，他正藏身在一疊文件後
面，忙得不可開交，看我來了，高興的對著我咧嘴一笑，
眉毛挑高，充滿了問候之意。只聽他向我嗨了一聲，就轉
頭向公司的小妹交代：「拿一『座』釘書機來！」

小妹口裡喃喃有聲：「一『座』釘書機？」

我也好奇的想看看這「一座」釘書機是何方神聖？只見小
妹手裡拿著一「個」小小的釘書機，抿著嘴笑著說：「您
的『一座』釘書機來了！」

我也笑了。

史密士看我們笑得詭異，搔搔頭說：「What?」
大夥兒笑得更開心。

我說：「一『座』，是用來修飾很大的物件，而且不動如山！」

史密士嘆了一口氣，說：「又用錯分類詞了？這真是我學
說中文的最大苦難。」

其實史密士的中文能力是相當好的，不但流利，四聲也分
明，但是他亂用分類詞也是有名的！

他從抽屜裡拿出一本筆記本，上面密密麻麻寫滿了他學中
文的各項心得。他翻到中間的某一頁，上面特別註記著：
「一『首』歌、二『隻』駱駝、三『張』桌子、
 四『門』炮、五『把』扇子、六『輛』汽車、
 七『架』飛機、八『根』柱子、九『條』絲瓜、
 十『面』鏡子、十一『尾』魚、十二『道』菜…。」
他指著這些各式各樣的分類詞，一臉無奈的說：「這有道
理嗎？」

我說：「這算什麼！」就隨手寫下了：「一『匹』馬、
二『頭』牛、三『隻』猴子、四『條』狗、五『口』羊、
六『盞』燈、七『畝』田、八『扇』窗、九『枚』火箭，
十『只』戒指！」

史密士屏了一「口」氣說：「我現在是一『顆』頭，
兩『粒』大，更糊塗了，還有嗎？」

我說：「你只能說一『輪』明月，但不能說一『輪』月亮；
兩『匹』馬可以，但兩『匹』駱駝就感覺怪怪的。
一『葉』扁舟是形容其小而飄浮不定，一『座』山則是碩大
而穩重。一『支』舞曲，會令人感到腳底輕盈；而一『道』
彩虹，則令人覺得前程似錦，充滿希望。對會喝酒的人來
說，一『缸』好酒是大量，一『罈』好酒是有量，一『瓶』
好酒是小量，而像我只能喝一『盅』好酒，是雅量！

還有，說你打得一『手』好球，是褒你；讚你打得一『口』
好球，是損你！

一『則』新聞表示繽紛世事中的一個小故事，而一『條』
法律則表示條裡分明，白紙黑字，但『條』不像『根』那
麼硬梆梆的，軟軟的就有協商的餘地。

一『支』部隊，讓人有非常機動的感覺，而一『股』力量，
則讓人感到一股作氣的氣勢。

但我實在喜歡一『片』花海、一『片』真情、一
『片』痴心、一『片』歡騰，還有，一『片』混亂！

它們都讓人感到生動而充滿想像力，否則哪會有一『串』
鈴聲的清脆，也不會有一『落』書籍的沉重，更不會有陽
關三『疊』的起伏了！

當然，談到緊張的情勢，哪有十『面』埋伏來得傳神。」

我越講越興奮，但史密士已經跌坐在他的沙發椅上，一
「臉」挫折，哀怨地說：「這誰學得會呀？」

我趕快安慰鼓勵他一番：「我們不都學會了，而且也沒有
人特別教我們。語言的習得本來就是把隱藏在社會語言中
的各項規則，透過生活裡的各類經驗，慢慢內化為腦海裡
的語法算則。想要學得好，一定要多聽、多想、多說，多
跟大夥兒打成一片。語言在生活中，所以要學得好，就必
須生活在語言中。」

我把他從辦公室拉上車，進了一「間」電影院，買了兩
「張」票，狠狠的看了三「場」電影，直到天黑了，就
到路邊攤，叫了兩「碗」麵，切了四「盤」小菜，喝了
五「罐」台啤，酒足飯飽，臨走時還包了六「根」香腸，
外加一「籠」湯餃， 留當宵夜。

You want to go on a date with me? Fat chance!





你想要跟我約會嗎？門兒都沒有！
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                






                                                        
                                                                               
fat chance
(作反語用)很少可能

ex:
Were you scared? Fat chance.
你當時受驚了嗎? 才不呢。

Film Genres http://www.filmsite.org/genres.html

Movie Genre Examples http://www.createyourscreenplay.com/genrechart.htm

As Christians, we still need to know the real meaning of Christmas
when we celebrate the special day.
I searched some information online, finding something interesting and IMPORTANT.
The following article is easy to understand.
It explains the origin of Christmas with its controversial Roots. 

最近上網查了一些聖誕節的資料，發現讓我眼睛一亮的事，
你知道聖誕節真正的由來嗎？你知道12/25其實是Saturn的生日嗎？
我們常被過節的氣氛和傳統給掩蔽了，
有人批說聖誕節是資本主義的商業陰謀，你覺得呢...
下面這篇文章告訴我們關於聖誕節...一些你不知道的事。




http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/origin-of-christmas.htm

Origin of Christmas - The Biblical Account
The origin of Christmas is presented beautifully in the well-known biblical account of Luke: "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:1-11).

Origin of Christmas - The Traditions and Controversies
For today's Christian, the origin of Christmas is, and should be, the birth of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible. Nothing more and nothing less. However, most of what we witness on December 25th each year has absolutely nothing to do with that blessed day, which probably occurred in late summer or early fall about 2,000 years ago. In fact, most of the customs and traditions of Christmas actually pre-date the birth of Jesus, and many of them are downright deceptive in their meaning and origin. Here are a few examples:

The date of December 25th probably originated with the ancient "birthday" of the son-god, Mithra, a pagan deity whose religious influence became widespread in the Roman Empire during the first few centuries A.D. Mithra was related to the Semitic sun-god, Shamash, and his worship spread throughout Asia to Europe where he was called Deus Sol Invictus Mithras. Rome was well-known for absorbing the pagan religions and rituals of its widespread empire. As such, Rome converted this pagan legacy to a celebration of the god, Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun god during the winter solstice period. The winter holiday became known as Saturnalia and began the week prior to December 25th. The festival was characterized by gift-giving, feasting, singing and downright debauchery, as the priests of Saturn carried wreaths of evergreen boughs in procession throughout the Roman temples.

Variations of this pagan holiday flourished throughout the first few centuries after Jesus Christ, but it probably wasn't until 336 AD that Emperor Constantine officially converted this pagan tradition into the "Christian" holiday of Christmas.

Origin of Christmas - What Really Matters?
The true origin of Christmas is filled with controversy and compromise. A quick study will reveal a number of disturbing roots that we haven't been able to cover in this brief article. In short, the Christmas holiday we celebrate today is indicative of Christianity's willingness to absorb the world's customs and traditions, and forget its simple roots in the historical reality of Jesus Christ. Christmas should be nothing more than a simple, yet wonderful reminder of Christ's humble beginning as a human child in this world. His birth merely set the stage for the power, glory, and salvation that would be revealed in His life, death, and resurrection! Whether it's December 25th, sometime in late September, or any other day of the year, we should use each and every opportunity to reflect on Jesus Christ and His message of hope for all of us. 


More information
Another article of Christmas Origin:
http://www.chamomiletimes.com/herbs/mistletoe.htm

Have you ever heard of the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe?
It is interesting, but its origin has different meaning...

有聽過在檞寄生下接吻的傳統嗎？
不過最早開始，檞寄生有完全不一樣的意思呢。 

A Kiss Under the Mistletoe

 by Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor
University of Vermont

Most people associate mistletoe with kissing as it's customary for anyone caught standing under a sprig of this plant (often strategically placed in a doorway) to receive a kiss. But did you know that mistletoe, now considered a Christmas plant, was used as a religious symbol in pagan rites centuries before the time of Christ? To the ancient Druids of Britain, it was a sacred symbol with both magical powers and medicinal properties.

These ancient people believed mistletoe could cure diseases, make animals and humans more fertile, provide protection from witches, and bring good luck. In fact, mistletoe was so sacred to the Druids that if two enemies met beneath a tree on which it was growing, they would lay down their weapons, exchange greetings, and observe a truce until the following day!

Mistletoe will parasitize many hosts, among them apple trees, poplars, lindens, willows, and, more rarely, oaks. A botanical anomaly, it is the only complete plant considered a true parasite for it often kills the hardwood tree it infests.

 

The custom of hanging up mistletoe probably stems from the Druid tradition of laying down arms and exchanging greetings under the mistletoe. Kissing under the mistletoe is attributed to the English who, after every kiss, plucked a berry from the bunch and discarded it. When the berries were gone, tradition called for the kissing to stop. Needless to say, plentiful bunches were eagerly sought for the holidays.

(from http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/tracts/tract3.html)

Charlie Chaplin Archive 
http://www.charliechaplinarchive.org/

Discover Chaplin
http://www.discoverchaplin.com/

Charlie Chaplin
http://www.charliechaplin.com/

Posters
http://www.cinemacom.com/charlie-chaplin.html

BuZu's unofficial Charlie Chaplin
http://www.cc.jyu.fi/~jopa/chaplin/

Films Download
http://www.worldcinemaonline.com/

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Chaplin

Gallery
http://silentgents.com/PChaplin.html

Chaplin Video Guide
http://www.garenewing.co.uk/chaplin/chaplinvideoguide.html

Time100
http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/chaplin.html

Chaplin Museum
http://www.chaplinmuseum.com/

陳黎文學倉庫
http://www.hgjh.hlc.edu.tw/~chenli/index.htm

兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵
兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵兵

兵兵兵兵兵兵兵乒兵兵兵兵兵兵兵乓兵兵兵兵兵兵兵乒
兵兵兵乓兵兵乒兵兵兵乒乒兵兵乒乓兵兵乒乓兵兵乓乓
乒乒兵兵兵兵乓乓乓乓兵兵乒乒乓乓乒乓兵乓兵兵乓乓
兵乒兵乒乒乒乓乓兵兵乒乒乓乓乓乓乒乒乓乓乒兵乓乓
乒兵乓乓乒兵乓乓乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓
乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓
乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓乒乒乓乓
乒乓乒乓乒乓乒乓乒乓乒乓乒乓乒乓乒乓乒乓乒乓乒乓
乒乓乒乓乒乒乓乓乒乓乒乓乒乒乓乓乒乓乒乓乒乒乓乓
乒乒乒乒乒乒乒乒乓乓乓乓乓乓乓乓乒乒    乒乒乒    乓
乓乓    乒乓乒乒    乒    乓        乒乒            乒乒        乓乓
乒乒        乓乒    乒    乓    乒    乓    乒乒乒        乓    乒
    乒乒    乓    乓乓    乒    乒        乓        乒    乓            乒
乒                        乓乓                        乓                乒    乓
    乒            乓                乒                    乓                乓
            乒                                                            乓

丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘
丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘丘

   第一節呈現整齊的、16字乘24字的排列，圖示一支雄糾糾、氣昂的縱隊。第二節開始出現缺了腿的兵，有的缺左腿，有的缺右腿。除了達到會意的功能（戰爭無一例外帶來的傷殘），「乒」和「乓」兩個擬音字的使用也暗示戰爭格鬥的無謂喧噪。隨著兵士的傷亡，開頭雄偉的隊伍漸漸支離破碎，直到所有的「兵」都變成了「丘」—— 失去了雙腿、失去了生命的「兵」。從字源上來看，「丘」是地上隆起的一坏土（《說文》︰「丘，土之高也。」），進而指涉墓塚。因此，「丘」在詩中既是陣亡的兵士，也是他們的墳墓。第一節那批神氣出發的雄兵轉眼間盡化作一片土墳。

   此詩採取三段式的結構，呼應交響曲三樂章的結構﹕主題、發展、總結，具體而微地表現了戰爭的恐怖、厭惡、荒謬、和無奈。它的震撼力媲美古典詩中最感人的反戰詩，如「一將功成萬骨枯」（曹松（己亥歲二首）之一），「古來征戰幾人回」（王翰（涼州詞）），杜甫的（兵車行）等。圖案詩或具象詩通常以文字的排列來構圖指事，表達的意思比較簡單。陳黎的這首詩卻超越了圖案詩的局限﹔他融合了視覺和聽覺意象，表現深刻的寓意，堪稱佳作。

from 奚密：讀陳黎《島嶼邊緣》

Roland Barthes 法國文學評論家
The Death of The Author
http://faculty.smu.edu/dfoster/theory/Barthes.htm

羅蘭巴特‧作者已死論
http://mail.nhu.edu.tw/~society/e-j/29/29-26.htm