Disqus - Latest Comments for Jack Yan

Re: Bush Not Praying Enough

Jack Yan — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 03:00:00 -0000

Oh, sorry: when they are on the campaign trail! I did form a political party years ago but by the time they were ready to contest an election (2005) I had moved on.

Re: You had to know this was coming … Spammeristas

Jack Yan — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 17:59:57 -0000

I prefer the TypeKey authorization to WordPress’s one, which only works on the particular site you sign up to. So far I think I have only signed up for three WordPress sites (run by friends).
The spammers are quick to ﬁnd you because their robots follow links, and ETC is a well linked site.
Blogger is pretty hopeless, so I have had to approve each message. It slows things down, sadly, but until they create ﬁlters it is probably the only way out for me for the time being.
I don’t mind signing on to TypeKey—it’s fairly easy to do, and it’s nice to be unmoderated!

Re: Bush Not Praying Enough

Jack Yan — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 18:01:35 -0000

Oh, sorry: when they are on the campaign trail! I did form a political party years ago but by the time they were ready to contest an election (2005) I had moved on.

Re: The Fifth Element

Jack Yan — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 03:00:00 -0000

I’m a huge Bruce Willis fan and this ﬁlm rates right up there. I love it when Milla Jovovich says, ‘Multipass’! I agree with your comment, Randy, when you said, ‘And the overarching theme to me as good vs. evil will only win because of the purity of human love.’ Nothing humans create is greater!

Re: The Fifth Element

Jack Yan — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 16:31:47 -0000

Re: You had to know this was coming … Spammeristas

Jack Yan — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 18:15:20 -0000

Hi Randy: I stuck with Blogger really due to a decision made in 2003 by some colleagues, when we began the Beyond Branding Blog. I don’t believe the others were as popular then. When I started my own blog, the BBB was still running and I didn’t want to go into two different interfaces. One of these days I might switch, but I lack the computer expertise to implement either TypePad or WordPress alone.
I see some great blogs on Moveable Type, so I would deﬁnitely vouch for it as a visitor of those blogs.

Re: Bible Meme

Jack Yan — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 03:00:00 -0000

I lost my original reply. Here goes, in brief.
1. Eight or nine.
2. Almost all rooms except for the dining room!
3. NIV mostly.
4. One I got for my baptism.
5. John 8:12.

Re: The Fifth Element

Jack Yan — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 07:46:26 -0000

Don’t forget the little ping that one of Gary Oldman’s legs makes when he walks!

Re: Bible Meme

Jack Yan — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 17:15:14 -0000

I lost my original reply. Here goes, in brief.

1. Eight or nine.

2. Almost all rooms except for the dining room!

3. NIV mostly.

4. One I got for my baptism.

5. John 8:12.

Re: Of Large Mammals and Multicellular Organisms

Jack Yan — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:27:42 -0000

I’m not sure if I want to read anything written by Judas … but whatever the case, those ﬁnal three sentences you quoted are fabulous, Randy.

Re: Judging Judges of Judges

Jack Yan — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:28:54 -0000

Yes! But at least you judged with an open mind about their judging of the judgemental.

Re: Insta-Issues

Jack Yan — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:33:13 -0000

Mike, good points there. The blogosphere, to me, seems more real. Sure, the fact-checking is not as strict as in a good news organization—but then, how many good news organizations are left?
Gentlemen, have you checked out OhmyNews.com? It started in South Korea as a news blog where regular folks reported on news and has expanded into an English edition. The stories are not huge, but I believe that is a matter of time.

Re: Insta-Issues

Jack Yan — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 03:00:00 -0000

Re: Insta-Issues

Jack Yan — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 01:09:28 -0000

I had forgotten about Pajamas Media. Yes, you are right: they are similar. I think what might differ is I have a feeling (though I have not tried it yet) that bloggers contribute directly to Ohmynews.com rather than their own blogs which in turn get picked up. The result, nevertheless, is identical: stories from the people on the ground, who are often eyewitnesses to the situation, and are not tainted by the MSM’s need to dumb down and sensationalize.

Re: Deeply Unnerving Confession

Jack Yan — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 03:00:00 -0000

As I understand it, these questions are designed to make you more libertarian than you might otherwise be. I wound up in roughly the same place as you, Randy, but slightly more libertarian.

Re: Deeply Unnerving Confession

Jack Yan — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 18:15:35 -0000

As I understand it, these questions are designed to make you more libertarian than you might otherwise be. I wound up in roughly the same place as you, Randy, but slightly more libertarian.

Re: He Is Risen!

Jack Yan — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 03:00:00 -0000

He is risen indeed! Randy, I really enjoyed Mr Whitten’s words. If God wanted us to change, He would just say, ‘Let it be,’ and rid us of our free will. But instead, He loves us enough to allow us to choose Him freely.
And yes, I did talk to iGod, and found out that it is a Christian iGod.

Re: He Is Risen!

Jack Yan — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 17:23:08 -0000

Re: Pick Up The ETC Feed

Jack Yan — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 03:00:00 -0000

Thanks for reminding me, Randy. I do have a reader in Maxthon and have now added you. I just have such a fast internet connection I don’t mind popping by!

Re: Pick Up The ETC Feed

Jack Yan — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 05:41:46 -0000

Thanks for reminding me, Randy. I do have a reader in Maxthon and have now added you. I just have such a fast internet connection I don’t mind popping by!

Re: War With Iran

Jack Yan — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 03:00:00 -0000

I am concerned. Also some of the angst is coming from the MSM (OK, independent media are on the story, too) so I am not sure if I should believe it all. Maybe I am in denial? I do know a lot of Iranians hate their government, from the blogs I read, but after seeing all the suspected sites on Fox News this morning, that’s way too many for regular Iranians to rise up against.

Re: Pick Up The ETC Feed

Jack Yan — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 08:42:07 -0000

a page where the latest entries are listed, and that makes for good reading.
Have you looked at Technorati Favorites for managing your favourite blogs? It could be a handy tool and you can add around 50 blogs to it. The ﬁrst page is a digest of the latest posts from all those blogs.
Mike, the feed is data that has Randy’s posts in a stripped-down form, probably without differing font sizes, that you can read on a separate program called a RSS reader.

Re: War With Iran

Jack Yan — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 17:15:45 -0000

Re: War With Iran

Jack Yan — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 17:24:43 -0000

Brussels piece is fascinating, Randy, and very well written. I am not sure which scenario is most likely but I would say the author has them pretty well covered. The “power vacuum” scenarios which leave the US hurt are less likely, in my view, because I cannot see (call me narrow-minded) any major power that could ﬁll the void, not even Islam. Europe is divided; Red China has shown anything but leadership in world affairs, and Islam has yet to show it can unite (take the Iraqi situation where Muslims kill Muslims), let alone “rule the world”.

Re: War With Iran

Jack Yan — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 18:25:00 -0000

Oops, I meant ‘Red China has shown everything but leadership’ above!
I totally agree about terrorism’s success, Randy. In the US, it is traditional for a conceding presidential candidate to ask his supporters to rally behind the victor. Senator Kerry did that but he, himself, is doing anything but. And we know that Osama bin Laden is watching this stuff in the MSM as he refers to it all the time in his tapes, so the west continues to arm the guy with propaganda that he can twist and turn to his own use.
Whether one believes that Al-Qaeda is connected with Iraqi insurgents or not, the same news material is arming those nutters.
In all cases, leadership has come with benevolence in the truly successful nations in Earth’s history, and I just don’t see that happening with the places that have Jihadist tendencies. Hence, the Iranian president does not appear to have popular support, if the bloggers there are to be believed. (They are very veiled in what they say, of course, as they face serious jail time if caught.)
Still, we should be prepared—this is certainly not a message to say we sit still till those governments attack. History, too, has shown that those nations that just sit back tend to get beaten. We need to watch these guys like hawks.

Re: War With Iran

Jack Yan — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 04:34:40 -0000

no.
I don’t know all the issues on the US immigration scenario. But what upsets me about this amnesty issue is how much attention it is getting. I’d say these aliens are getting more than those wanting to enter the United States through the proper, legal channels at the Department of Immigration. Have the illegals contributed anything to your welfare system to get the beneﬁts that may accrue to them if their status is legitimized, for instance? I hope your politicians are asking that, but the furore suggests that common sense is not coming into play. And then all this crap about getting the Secretary of Defense to resign that seems endless!
We don’t have quite as big a problem here, but a recent murder of a Chinese student by two other Chinese really bugs me here in New Zealand. For over a century we’ve established ourselves as a hard-working minority race, and due to lax immigration procedures, we’ve let in some highly suspect people that bring down the goodwill we’ve created.

Re: Update On My Love Life

Jack Yan — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 03:00:00 -0000

Randy, I am sorry to hear of a crossroads in your relationship but I am also very happy to hear of your firm commitment to honouring God, yourself and Lorraine. The path to love is never smooth and often these difficulties are tests to see how unconditionally we each can love and accept someone. I know on that score, you do particularly well and we simply have to trust in the Lord that our paths will be revealed.

Re: Update On My Love Life

Jack Yan — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 15:11:52 -0000

Re: Interview with Marine Cpl Matt Sanchez

Jack Yan — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 03:00:00 -0000

I am surprised there has even been controversy to what you transcribed, Randy. I read the interview, and thought it was fair. I believe Cpl. Sanchez has a right to choose, and, therefore, the right to choose to change his life for the better. Despite being outside the US, and a non-American, I had assumed that freedom was a tenet of the nation’s beliefs. Whatever the man’s past, he engaged in (I believe) legal actions, and in 2003, he chose to better himself by joining what he saw to be an honourable cause.
The opponents suggest to me that they wish to shut the door on such decisions that, ultimately, could benefit their nation. Why they want someone who has done something that is, in their eyes, immoral to remain that way, I do not know. Is it convenience? Pigeonholing? I had hoped that forgiveness for those past deeds and allowing Cpl. Sanchez to serve his nation would be a more fitting gesture of any American.
At the end of the day, regardless of nation, we are all human, and I believe in respecting Cpl. Sanchez’s free will.

Re: Interview with Marine Cpl Matt Sanchez

Jack Yan — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:29:16 -0000

I am surprised there has even been controversy to what you transcribed, Randy. I read the interview, and thought it was fair. I believe Cpl. Sanchez has a right to choose, and, therefore, the right to choose to change his life for the better. Despite being outside the US, and a non-American, I had assumed that freedom was a tenet of the nation’s beliefs. Whatever the man’s past, he engaged in (I believe) legal actions, and in 2003, he chose to better himself by joining what he saw to be an honourable cause.

The opponents suggest to me that they wish to shut the door on such decisions that, ultimately, could benefit their nation. Why they want someone who has done something that is, in their eyes, immoral to remain that way, I do not know. Is it convenience? Pigeonholing? I had hoped that forgiveness for those past deeds and allowing Cpl. Sanchez to serve his nation would be a more fitting gesture of any American.

At the end of the day, regardless of nation, we are all human, and I believe in respecting Cpl. Sanchez’s free will.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Jack Yan — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:00:00 -0000

Wow, Randy, that was an amazing trip all right. I am glad you and TBT are safe.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Jack Yan — Mon, 21 May 2007 05:29:24 -0000

Wow, Randy, that was an amazing trip all right. I am glad you and TBT are safe.

Re: MilBlogger Andrew Olmsted Killed in Iraq

Jack Yan — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 00:20:00 -0000

I blogged about Maj Olmsted today, too, Randy, and wrote to his folks. He was a humble and intelligent blogger and will be sorely missed.

Re: MilBlogger Andrew Olmsted Killed in Iraq

Jack Yan — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 15:20:00 -0000

I blogged about Maj Olmsted today, too, Randy, and wrote to his folks. He was a humble and intelligent blogger and will be sorely missed.

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Sat, 13 May 2006 20:29:00 -0000

I know I would love to have comments, no matter who they are from. For a newbie to be criticized reﬂects badly on the blogger—and that behaviour is there for everyone to see. I bet that blog would have lost visitors due to that.

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Sun, 14 May 2006 10:43:00 -0000

Chuck, I know I found this via coCo, so you may be right. However, I do think some bloggers are naturally nice personalities who encourage conversation (unlike me!), and get huge trafﬁc and link love without trying (and without coComment). It could be the case here.

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Sun, 14 May 2006 11:02:00 -0000

On some threads I do OK but I only get 100 uniques a day if I’m lucky! Maybe two or three comments a day but I have been lucky to break the 20-comment barrier a month or two ago. I think it depends on the topic: I notice the more trivial, personal ones tend to get more commenters.

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Sun, 14 May 2006 18:30:00 -0000

Chuck, it may be a case of people thinking, ‘Nice a**!’ but not really wanting to post that. Unless, I suppose, we have had some personal contact with the girls (or, for that matter, the products you review).
Kate, I came by thanks to coComment, but like you I usually get visitors from Technorati. Britblog doesn’t get me too many, sadly (yes, I am British by nationality). I think you get many visitors because you write from the heart and people want to share with you. People can relate to your experiences and add their twopence.

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Mon, 15 May 2006 08:15:00 -0000

Checking through the spider’s results at Blogshares also reveals newish blogs, and I believe Blogger shows new blogs as they are set up via its home page (or are they new posts?). Plus, hitting ‘Next blog’ on some Blogger blogs takes you to some random places!

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Tue, 16 May 2006 11:12:00 -0000

One of my blogroll links, Markoos out and about, I found via Blogshares and began reading it regularly—he’s quite a laugh (he’s a barman in a strip club in Australia). And he recently introduced his little brother’s blog so I said a tiny welcome there.
I have not been a regular blogger for long, so I don’t recall the new blogs page, but I would say you are correct, as something like that would take very little effort on Blogger’s part to do.

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Tue, 16 May 2006 11:28:00 -0000

It probably also explains my sense of humour as it can get fairly random in a Little Britain sort of way! Earlier today I almost introduced myself on the phone, to someone not that well known to me, as ‘Chris Tarrant, from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.’

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Wed, 17 May 2006 07:41:00 -0000

Hi Kate: good plan with the suggestion. May I ask who the humorous American is? I’d love a good laugh myself and there is only so much John Prescott can do in the news.
Markoos is on my blogroll but I think his URL is markoos.blogspot.com. Speaking of which, I am very honoured to be linked from yours!

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Wed, 17 May 2006 07:46:00 -0000

Regis is a copycat. I remember when he had a sex change and turned into Meredith.
Kate, we get Little Britain down here, but on Channel 4 (which is primarily a music network). I prefer the Ricky Gervais sort of humour but the funniest sitcoms I encountered over the last decade or so were Black Books and the ﬁrst series of Chalk. Just random enough for me. Mighty Boosh isn’t here but it looks very good—thank you for the link!

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Thu, 18 May 2006 08:56:00 -0000

Hi Kate: Yank back-story needed here. Regis Philbin was the equivalent of Chris Tarrant when the Americans redid Millionaire (just as they redid Pop Idol, Distraction, Fawlty Towers, Man about the House, George & Mildred, Who’s Line Is It Anyway?, Robin’s Nest, The Saint, Steptoe & Son, The Avengers, Keep It in the Family, Mixed Blessings, Tripper’s Day, Love Thy Neighbour, Thunderbirds and some more I am sure I missed). I believe when the show left the networks, Mr Philbin was replaced by Meredith Vieira. Maybe American visitors can clarify this.
Chalk was the one about the teachers. Only the ﬁrst year was good, though there was one good episode the second year. I understand it was disliked in the UK.

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Thu, 18 May 2006 09:11:00 -0000

Thanks, Kate! I see Lip Schtick is doing the Van der Valk thing.
Probably better to go ‘Urgh’ for the Deputy PM. I will never think of disabled car parks in the same way again (‘Hmm, I shall park my Jag there’).

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Sat, 20 May 2006 16:42:00 -0000

I haven’t seen the American versions of The Ofﬁce (sounds scary), Coupling (I can visualize this, and yes, it would be Friends-like), and Dad’s Army (what the heck is ‘Mr Mainwaring’ in American?).
Candy, with someone pinching your post, can you comment at that person’s blog and say something like, ‘It would have been courteous for you to have acknowledged your source’?

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Sat, 20 May 2006 16:53:00 -0000

Yes, I remember Van der Valk. I was even thinking last night that there were three Arlettes (actresses playing his wife). This keeps coming up though: I had a meeting with a Dutch gentleman not long ago and I thought, ‘Van der Valk’—the guy had blond hair and I made the connection.
There was a brief series of TV movies on ITV in the early 1990s, so we don’t have to be too old to remember it!

One series I do miss, however, is The Paradise Club. There’s precious little on Google about it.

Prescott is an oddie. I notice he has hung on to his Deputy PM title. I’m glad many of his duties have been broken up and sent to other cabinet positions—though I am sure Prescott is thinking, ‘Great! I am doing less work and getting the same money! Thanks, Tony!’ than believing it to be a demotion. When he struck that protester on the campaign trail some years ago, that was the ﬁnal straw for me: I knew he was a pillock but that took the cake.

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Wed, 24 May 2006 01:27:00 -0000

Labour defended Two Jags Prescott by saying that the punch was ‘instinct’. That will go down tremendously well with football hooligans. You’d think a man of his position would have learned a bit of decorum.
The newer Van der Valks had a very similar formula but dragged on for two hours (remember, this was the age of Inspector Morse).

Ah, I’m British by nationality rather than hailing from the Isles. Born in Hong Kong back in the days when the sun had not set on the Empah, the Governor wore feathers in his silly hat, and all that rot.

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Wed, 24 May 2006 01:31:00 -0000

I’d like to see this American Ofﬁce now. The Yanks have made a good go of many a programme, and in some cases, I think the American versions are superior for entertainment value—Three’s Company was better than Man about the House for me, particularly with John Ritter’s ability to make a goof of himself. Richard O’Sullivan was a bit more British-restrained.
Usually the originals are better. Chuck, you won’t have seen them but the Brits redid Married with Children and Who’s the Boss?, and Al Bundy and Tony Micelli do not “translate into English”. Transplants go both ways, but seldom work out …

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Wed, 24 May 2006 02:56:00 -0000

Kate, I’ve just found this American Dad’s Army at the IMDB, called The Rear Guard, and the main comment is from a New Zealander who sought out the show over a two-year period (which shows that Kiwis can be more British than the British). The cast is not that known to me, but I still cannot imagine it with American accents. Was it the home guard in the US under threat from Germans? Don’t think Jerry made it that far across the Pond for it to be under threat.

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Sun, 28 May 2006 09:14:00 -0000

Actually, IIQ, Married with Children was American. I said it did not translate well into English—Married for Life (the UK version) was awful.

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Sun, 28 May 2006 18:36:00 -0000

You can’t sing ‘Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?’ in an American accent (equally, ‘Love and Marriage’ sounds naff with an English one).
Oh my, an English Golden Girls? That sounds worse.

Chuck, I saw the American Ofﬁce on the plane, and I thought it was pretty good. Still slightly better as a Pommy show, but you don’t feel that it’s trying to be the original. I believe that is where these shows can be successful: Married for Life and The Upper Hand (UK Who’s the Boss?) never had much soul.

IIQ, the cynicism didn’t come through on the comment, so I apologize. I actually liked the original Married with Children, or more speciﬁcally the later seasons where things got more and more surreal. The ﬁrst seasons were a little too overt for me.

Try watching it in a hotel room in Switzerland in German!

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Sun, 28 May 2006 18:39:00 -0000

I saw Pirates of the Caribbean on telly again yesterday, and the costumes the Royal Navy had to wear also got me laughing—how any man could ﬁght in them was beyond me! Even the daft wigs of barristers—I can’t take them seriously, either. (I am sure our American friends will deﬁnitely think this!)

Re: Feeling Almost Groovy

Jack Yan — Sun, 28 May 2006 18:42:00 -0000

Even in more recent times, the native Americans were portrayed as savages when some historians now point to a place far more civilized—that between America and Europe, say around the time of Columbus, the former had far higher living standards and more sophisticated societal structures.

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Mon, 29 May 2006 10:19:00 -0000

I remember Pussy Galore was in it, and George Cowley’s chauffeur from The Professionals.
You mentioned an American Red Dwarf, Kate. Positively scary as well.

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Mon, 29 May 2006 10:40:00 -0000

Bit like Bigfoot on The Goodies, where people laughed themselves to death on seeing him!
I trained as a lawyer but my instinct told me not to go into the profession …

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Mon, 29 May 2006 19:43:00 -0000

The American Red Dwarf doesn’t sound as awful as I thought. I half expected a train wreck.
I remember Jane Leeves from some of the later Benny Hill Shows.

Re: On Freedom, Mysterious Stones and Paper Folding

Jack Yan — Tue, 30 May 2006 05:20:00 -0000

Kate, thank you. I agree with your thoughts and I am delighted I could inspire your words.
You’re totally right that those calling for censorship and restriction are people who have something to lose if there is freedom, transparency and honesty. I may blog about that, too, now … I’ll see how I go on time tonight.

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Tue, 30 May 2006 05:24:00 -0000

I read a Benny Hill biography once, and have watched a documentary on the man. Both suggested that—he was not pervy, but a genuine nice guy with many eccentricities. When Jackie Wright (the bald Irishman) passed away, Hill decided to limit the amount of Wright footage used. That way, Wright’s widow could collect more in fees from the episodes.
I contrast this to Martin Shaw’s behaviour when he prevented The Professionals from being repeated for his own reasons, to the point where co-star Gordon Jackson’s widow was left with huge debts when her husband passed. It was only then that Shaw changed his mind.

Yet in modern Britain, Benny Hill is someone to be ashamed of, and Martin Shaw is admired.

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Tue, 30 May 2006 05:31:00 -0000

I have seen the odd Oddie wildlife special, and also an episode of Married with Children in which he guest-starred (the Bundys go to England). The reunion sounded fun: the last one with this mob that I heard was on the wireless, on the show I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again. Some chap called John Cleese joined them for the reunion.
I was chatting to my solicitor yesterday about his job, too. He and I were at college, and then law school, together. He opted to go to a smaller practice (actually his great-grandfather’s) because it would allow him time with his wife and son. He and his wife (who is also a lawyer) had plenty of offers from large ﬁrms, but wisely resisted going to them.

I do some expert-witness work, and that is good enough for me in terms of involvement in that industry.

Re: On Freedom, Mysterious Stones and Paper Folding

Jack Yan — Tue, 30 May 2006 06:04:00 -0000

Well, my pleasure! We’re ahead by 11 hours when you are on daylight saving; otherwise it’s a straight a.m.–p.m. switch.
My blog is playing up at the moment as I want to write something you inspired and it doesn’t seem to be showing (nor are new comments).

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Tue, 30 May 2006 06:10:00 -0000

I also dislike Shaw’s “serious actor” voice that he puts on when he narrates. Comes across like a complete tosser. Dad dislikes watching The Professionals these days because he plainly dislikes Shaw; I will keep watching it because the stories were entertaining.
I am a sucker for bios, I have to say. I’ve even read John Major’s autobiography, and a couple of biographies on Rupert Murdoch.

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Tue, 30 May 2006 06:13:00 -0000

Usually I have to swear to some facts in my ﬁelds of expertise (usually on intellectual property). Only truthful stuff, of course—I’ve had to turn down a few jobs because I couldn’t side with the client.

Re: On Freedom, Mysterious Stones and Paper Folding

Jack Yan — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 07:26:00 -0000

I can associate with that, Kate. Stefan Engeseth sent out an email about his new book in 2001, and I read it and wrote him back. That began a friendship, with a few meetings in between in person, that I liken to a brotherhood. I even call him my spiritual brother. All it took was email and a desire to understand the other person. We had a strong friendship well before he met in person, and it only got stronger.

Re: On Freedom, Mysterious Stones and Paper Folding

Jack Yan — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 08:10:00 -0000

I believe we are around 99 per cent normal on our server, though it has taken two days of pretty hard slog. Thank you for your kind wishes.
I am OK with American time zones, though it does take some mathematics: for me, New York is minus four hours during the summer, then switch a.m. to p.m., and subtract a day.

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 08:17:00 -0000

I always think of the repercussions: if a case escalated, I would be concerned that I would have to back up things I could not stand by. So I am always truthful, and it’s better than being a real lawyer, who is obliged to take on cases even when one disagrees with the client.
The New Zealand political situation is easy to summarize: Labour has been in too long and there is no credible opposition. Hang on, isn’t that yours, too?!

Re: On Freedom, Mysterious Stones and Paper Folding

Jack Yan — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 23:54:00 -0000

Thank you, Kate. When in doubt about the middle of the United States, assume it’s six hours, because you cover a greater population in that Central time zone (e.g. most of the midwest). I don’t have too many contacts in that Mountain time zone.

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 00:07:00 -0000

I can’t even remember who the Tory leader is, and that was after I devoted a blog post to it! Last one that left any impression on me was William ‘One free gallon of petrol for everyone who votes Conservative’ Hague. I know Michael Howard was in there somewhere.

Re: Go Hug a Newbie and The Curse of the Third Column

Jack Yan — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 00:12:00 -0000

There was one business leader—I can’t name him because the person who told me this story made me swear—whom I really admired because of his public persona and even his business record, and then I found out he was a dirty old man! Around 10 years ago he tried to put his hands up my friend’s dress—totally changed my mind about him. I don’t care about his business record any more! I can’t respect this fellow again because every time I see his name, I think, ‘Pervert.’

Re: It’s Be Nice to Newbie Week

Jack Yan — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 07:16:00 -0000

True. I have studied the branding of the Conservative Party as part of one of my lectures, and it has not changed since John Major’s last campaign. I was a John fan, but the dowdiness of the presentation did not work for him—nor has it worked for any subsequent leader.
The “honest John” image can work and is perhaps the best counter to the culture of spin that Major himself attacked; but the Tories fell down on conveying that visually. Not to mention that the message has been totally confused since Hague—you are right that Howard was a Thatcherite, much like Ken Clarke.

A party that exhibits transparency may be the best counter. We know the Tory policy for, say, the economy won’t differ hugely from Labour, but the way in which it is delivered can be. It’s all image, and one which features a Shadow Cabinet getting into blogs and hearing from the British electorate would be my ﬁrst suggestion for the Tories.

But Cameron is invisible, and the changes I am talking about require someone with a clear vision.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 09:52:00 -0000

‘There can be only one’ (Norman Clegg, that is)!

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 06:02:00 -0000

I’d prefer to see Jack Nicholson as Compo than Alan Alda as Clegg.
Peter Sallis rocks!

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:40:00 -0000

There will only be one Wallace, too! Even Rory Bremner cannot replace him.
Just checked, and Google gives Peter Sallis’s year of birth as 1921. My goodness—he’s looking darned good for his age. My late maternal grandmother was born that year, and that’s ﬁve years older than the Queen.

Re: Ode to Bill Gates, Ten Films I Hated

Jack Yan — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:43:00 -0000

For a second there, I thought you meant the Hotel with Rod Taylor—I loved that ﬁlm. I have to join your dislike of Rocky Horror, even if it was concocted by a New Zealander.

Re: Ode to Bill Gates, Ten Films I Hated

Jack Yan — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 22:56:00 -0000

Kate, that’s the one: it was based on the Arthur Hailey novel, and it was Rod Taylor. It’s not the TV series Arthur Hailey’s Hotel with James Brolin and Connie Sellecca, which was more like The Love Boat on land.
There’s just something odd about the garish costumes in Rocky Horror: they really disagree with me. And I used to like KISS, so it’s not the whole goth look.

Rob, that Frank Oz cameo was priceless in Blues Brothers!

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 22:58:00 -0000

Kate, with the Queen, I imagine there are only so many ways you can laugh at your husband’s jokes about blacks before sounding forced and insincere. (S***, there goes the knighthood.)

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 18:56:00 -0000

I think the Queen gets some novelty value from the Duke by surﬁng to Mohammed Al-Fayed’s web site and seeing what he has to say about ‘Philip the Greek’. Word has it, though, that she ‘adores’ the Duke of Edinburgh.

Re: Ode to Bill Gates, Ten Films I Hated

Jack Yan — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 19:01:00 -0000

We had that series last year and it was a good laugh! But I fear we are reality-TVed out in this household and have been for years. I liked Channel 4’s That’ll Teach ’Em though.

Re: Ode to Bill Gates, Ten Films I Hated

Jack Yan — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 09:50:00 -0000

I believe we have to put up with the Australian version of Big Brother, but its novelty value wore off seasons ago. I think we had our own version, but I can’t remember any more. If we all wanted to be voyeurs, I am sure there are better ways to do it—like downloading Torrents!
That’ll Teach ’Em wasn’t as good the second year. I am quite happy with the old shows and DVDs, since they don’t make them like they used to! Well, the Germans do—Cobra 11 reminds me of some of the cop shows that the US and UK used to do so well before all that human-interest–drama crap became popular.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 09:53:00 -0000

I get a good laugh from Mohammed’s site, because he is so open in what he says—and he has the pounds to back up any potential lawsuits. The Anglophile in me does have a spot of affection for the Windsors, though I have been known to make the odd joke against them (as the late Spike Milligan did).

Re: England 1 – 0 Paraguay

Jack Yan — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 09:55:00 -0000

I haven’t seen this yet. The live matches are on Sky, but I can’t be bothered getting it if, during the other three years when the World Cup isn’t on, I couldn’t care less about the TV programmes!

Re: England 1 – 0 Paraguay

Jack Yan — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 08:38:00 -0000

Wise move on Sky’s part there, Kate. With us, all of soccer is on their channels, live, while we plebs have to put up with delayed coverage. The odd game (ﬁrst and ﬁnal, let’s hope) is on TV One (state broadcaster), so I imagine I should not complain. But at a hotel tomorrow, so there is Sky there—not sure how much work I will do!

Re: Ode to Bill Gates, Ten Films I Hated

Jack Yan — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 08:41:00 -0000

I have noticed that strong dumbing-down as well. And like so many countries, we have Dancing with the Stars. It got worse: some non-stars went on shows like Sing Like a Superstar and a rival network showed So You Wanna Be a Popstar?. Even with some reality shows, like that cooking show with Gordon Ramsey, some ability and talent are assumed.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 08:55:00 -0000

I prefer a constitutional monarchy in the absence of a credible alternative, and right now, the republicans haven’t come up with one. It’s not like China in 1911, when it was clear the Ching Dynasty was not operating in the interests of its subjects.
I can sympathize with Spike and he may have saved himself a lot of trouble by remaining Irish. If I go through Heathrow, I have no problems with my passport, which has all the usual trappings of ‘Her Majesty the Queen’s Secretary of State’ blah, blah. But if I go through, say, Waterloo on the Eurostar, I have had ofﬁcials tell me that the British National Overseas passport is not British, and I am an alien! Fortunately, the PM (in a letter) agrees with me. It’s British apartheid—just because I am British but not born in Britain.

Re: England 1 – 0 Paraguay

Jack Yan — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 09:04:00 -0000

Hi Kate: you got it in one. TV One would be the equivalent of BBC1; TV2 the equivalent of BBC2. It’s amazing how many parallels we have here, except we’re some years behind. Only now are we having the discussion about the change from terrestial to digital channels via a set-top box.

Re: Ode to Bill Gates, Ten Films I Hated

Jack Yan — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 09:08:00 -0000

You had Dancing before we did and, as if the ﬁrst year’s stars were not obscure enough, they have dug up some more no-names and yesterday’s celebrities for the second season. I thought some of them could only be contacted through a séance.
The most noticeable celeb on the new season of Dancing with the Stars is Miss Universe 1983. There is a minor political party leader (whose hair is only reachable via a séance). Haven’t much of a clue as to the rest of the cast.

The singing ones are dreadful. I have had two friends on them, God help me. Nice people, so they deserved better fates.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 09:11:00 -0000

I agree, Kate. A British subject is a British subject is a British subject. I had to write to so many people before I got a response from the PM: my complaints about “British apartheid” were ignored by the British High Commissioner, the Foreign Secretary, and the Shadow Foreign Secretary.
I can understand why the Irish would get a nicer welcome. The country has a clean, green, friendly image. I usually travel with my New Zealand passport, which is ﬁlled with stamps, and I reserve the British one for entry into the UK.

Re: England 1 – 0 Paraguay

Jack Yan — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 09:45:00 -0000

Hi Kate: ooh, yes, we even had a Broadcasting Fee to pay until recently. Now it just comes out of our taxes! The same digital discussion is happening here, so I think we are in parallel with the UK on this.

Re: England 1 – 0 Paraguay

Jack Yan — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 08:34:00 -0000

The bad thing is that our state broadcasters have ads, but with a small population it’s probably needed. It wasn’t always the case. When I was a lad, advertising on weekends was not permitted, and that typically meant that even previews could not be shown. For those families (like ours) who had VCRs, we recorded some nice movies with no breaks whatsoever. That all changed in the mid- to late 1980s, I believe.

Re: Many and Various Things

Jack Yan — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 08:36:00 -0000

Shame about the weather there. At least you get nice long days. It’s the winter solstice and it’s dark so darned early. The good news is that for us, each day lengthens by three minutes now.

Re: Last Saturday’s Post

Jack Yan — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 08:44:00 -0000

Down here, the statistics do show an increase in obesity. Like you, I have not noticed any more fatter kids, but I have noticed a lot more obese adults. However, with the internet so commonplace, is it possible that the fat kids are staying home and surﬁng? Maybe it is a stereotype: I don’t know.
I do agree, Kate, that of the girls from my year who turned into pretty hot looking ladies, or, indeed, those old girlfriends whose childhood photographs I have seen, that they often do not resemble what they looked like when they were kids. “Baby fat” was more than common before they turned into healthy (and sometimes gorgeously curvy) women.

Re: Last Saturday’s Post

Jack Yan — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 10:08:00 -0000

True, Kate, especially with modern attention spans!

Re: Happy Days Are Here Again

Jack Yan — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 10:18:00 -0000

CoCo has been OK for me, Kate: only on one occasion last week did I have to disable it.

Re: 2,995 Bloggers Needed

Jack Yan — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 01:57:00 -0000

Haven’t made up my mind. The victim would not be known to me, and I am not sure if I could do him or her justice. But I will likely do a 9-11 tribute on the day.

Re: England Out On Penalties - Again

Jack Yan — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 01:59:00 -0000

It was not unlike having a Spaniard referee a French game, although on balance things went far better in France v. Brazil. Still yet to watch the England v. Portugal game properly as it was way too early for me (3 a.m. here).

Re: England Out On Penalties - Again

Jack Yan — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 06:03:00 -0000

Now that I have seen it, the refereeing was appalling. Rooney’s send-off, the hand-ball in Portugal’s penalty area, and at least one other yellow-card-worthy incident in the penalty area—all ignored by the ref. Based on previous matches, had this one been fair, I would say that it should have been England 1–0 without extra time. However, I am no fan of Germany, though the gf thinks they will win. I am inclined to agree, but we are both Francophiles, so I will sing ‘La Marseillaise’.

Re: England Out On Penalties - Again

Jack Yan — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 07:52:00 -0000

I haven’t followed the ups and downs of Sven-Goran much, but I did notice he was complimentary toward the Swedes after England’s match with them—for obvious reasons. I guess the FA had a choice of whether to retain him or to risk a bit of a shake-up before the tournament, and erred on the side of caution—with hindsight it may have erred, period.
The Germans are marvellous hosts in anything, I have noticed: even when I stay with German friends, all I get is warmth. It’s part of the culture, though I have to say some of the tackles I have seen them do in this World Cup leaves something to be desired. I hope any misconduct is nipped in the bud early, but oftentimes it has not been with the Germans.

England had played well and it would have been nice to see an England v. Germany match. The Germans may well win, due largely to their stamina. They have such an amazing pace it is hard to see any of the semi-ﬁnal nations’ players keeping up.

Re: 2,995 Bloggers Needed

Jack Yan — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 08:05:00 -0000

I may do something for 7-7 since I knew one of the victims. I’ve already done two posts in his honour after June 7, as I lead up to Friday. On September 11, I may use what I wrote on the day, which was forwarded very widely on the internet.

Re: England Out On Penalties - Again

Jack Yan — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 07:09:00 -0000

I slept on the couch in a German ﬂat after meeting a German on a plane and she offered me a place to stay, to return a favour (I let her stay in my hotel room—and there were two beds, I must note) when in Singapore. Great people. Can’t get over their hospitality.

Re: England Out On Penalties - Again

Jack Yan — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 08:59:00 -0000

I do know a few Americans who have let me stay with them, and here in New Zealand you would ﬁnd that, too. When in the UK, I often stay with old college friends. There is even a site called Couchsurﬁng, I believe, where you can ﬁnd people’s couches to crash on as you travel.

Re: England Out On Penalties - Again

Jack Yan — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 18:25:00 -0000

You could put a warning on there: ‘May wake up with dog sitting on you’. But you are right; and you mightn’t get many takers.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 18:27:00 -0000

The PM’s ofﬁce was mildly helpful, but not totally. More spin, really. But at least he did not disagree with me. I did meet some civil servants once who worked with Jack Straw when he was a pimply faced geek, and their comments were, euphemistically, that they were surprised that he rose to a Cabinet position.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 11:53:00 -0000

That was a massive gaffe, almost to the point of “all blacks look alike”.

Re: One Year On . . .

Jack Yan — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 11:55:00 -0000

Horizon on the BBC seemed to indicate that the bombers were alienated from their newly adopted countries’ cultures and al-Qaeda and similar groups had an appeal of the “old country” to them. You notice amongst expatriate families (and I know this ﬁrst-hand), we tend to be more passionate about our culture than we would be had we not emigrated. These lost souls looked for their culture in the wrong places, and began to believe the indoctrination.

Re: One Year On . . .

Jack Yan — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 10:35:00 -0000

I wonder about that, Kate. It could be a number of things, though I am no expert on psychology. The ﬁrst is how much pride they have in their own culture. If they lack it, or knowledge of it, from their own families, then they may be compelled to ﬁnd it elsewhere.
The alternative is that they lack total pride in their own culture and have adopted that of the host country, in which case they would not seek their roots at all.

Secondly, the strength of personal character would have a lot to do with it. Horizon seemed to believe that most people would commit violence if instructed to, and showed footage of an experiment where subjects were quite happy to administer electric shocks to someone (in fact an actor pretending to be shocked) even when that person was in pain. I think the ﬁgure of 70 per cent was given. That means only 30 per cent of people have consciences strong enough to resist an instruction from an authority ﬁgure and take responsibility for their own actions.

In short, we are more likely than not to “tip over the edge” because we are impressionable as human beings and do not view ourselves as having authority.

The solution may be education: to educate people well enough so that they have a sense of personal responsibility, and to look at other people as their neighbours, to whom they owe a duty. Once upon a time, that was taught through religion and parables; on abandoning that, it has been up to no one.

I am not saying we return to the old ways, but I am saying that responsibility needs to be taught so that we don’t have that 70 per cent ﬁgure in generations to come.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 10:38:00 -0000

A simple mea culpa would have been more effective for the Straw Man. Sad. So, Prescott hits people because of ‘instinct’ and Jack Straw shakes hands with dictators because all “darkies” look the same. This Cabinet needs to go at the next election, but what is the alternative?

Re: One Year On . . .

Jack Yan — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 10:42:00 -0000

An extra post: the media ﬁnd convenient scapegoats, and labelling a minority is easy. Ooh, beware of Johnny Foreigner.

Re: Rugby: It’s a mans, mans world!

Jack Yan — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 10:44:00 -0000

I thought the handbag thing was for real! Just shows how much attention I pay to the sports’ news here!

Re: Rugby: It’s a mans, mans world!

Jack Yan — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 09:34:00 -0000

I’m sure they were fake, now that we discuss it, as those chaps wouldn’t be seen to do anything that suggested they had a gay bent. Well, nothing beyond hugs, grabbing crotches during scrums, and being in such close quarters with other chaps. They are butch. Very butch.

Re: One Year On . . .

Jack Yan — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 09:40:00 -0000

Kate, the percentage may have been as high as 75 per cent—I was trying to be very safe by citing 70 as I wasn’t entirely sure.
I had a wee discussion with my friend Ron, on my blog, about values and where one should learn them. Ron feels that schools are not the forums for learning values, but with so many families not teaching them, do we have a realistic choice?

The citizenship course doesn’t sound right to me, either. I think education needs quite a revamp and responsibility taught from day one.

As to Johnny Foreigner, you are right. Remember that old Alas Smith and Jones gag where Mel Smith is reading the news, and he dwelled on the item about one Briton being insulted over the cut of his suit, and spoke lightly of 2,000 Mexicans killed in an earthquake ‘because they didn’t speak English’. Sadly, indicative of the real world.

You are not alone. When Russell Crowe won an Oscar, he was a New Zealander. When he chucked a telephone, he was a New Zealander who had emigrated to and lived in Australia.

Re: He’s not a footballer, he’s a very naughty boy.

Jack Yan — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 09:44:00 -0000

Media down here are reporting it as some comment about Algerians being terrorists, but I still can’t believe someone of ZZ’s calibre would blow his Top.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 09:46:00 -0000

We are seeing minor parties here take greater hold, too. If the Tories can get a half-decent leader, they will have a chance, but if the status quo is preserved at the next General Election, I agree with you: it’ll be New Labour for ﬁve more years, with an even more reduced majority, and possibly a minority government. Labour may still suffer a Major-like defeat: losing because the electorate never forgave it for winning the last one.

Re: He’s not a footballer, he’s a very naughty boy.

Jack Yan — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 10:09:00 -0000

Most of the ﬁrst ‘Jack needs’ are about how these Jacks need girlfriends! That is a sad indictment on my namesakes, though for a while I was one of them.

Re: He’s not a footballer, he’s a very naughty boy.

Jack Yan — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 10:46:00 -0000

Those are on the second page of Google’s results. Just kidding!

Re: Rugby: It’s a mans, mans world!

Jack Yan — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 18:44:00 -0000

I have to say that in 30 years of living in New Zealand, I have never watched a rugby game in full. I enjoy the highlights of the tries and conversions, but all that groping is uncomfortable to watch. Call me a prude!
Just got up, so I am not sure if Blogger has repaired itself yet. I guess I will ﬁnd out …

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 05:10:00 -0000

I can’t visualize Brown as PM, and the weird thing was that I could visualize Major in the role, even when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer. Still, anything is possible.

Re: Deciphering Dots on a Map

Jack Yan — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 05:13:00 -0000

Thank you for the shout-out, Kate! My visitors tend to be from English-speaking countries, though I admit I love it when I see dots for South America and Africa. Makes me feel more global! But I am sad to note that I have not yet come across any east Russian readers (I have seen St Petersburg and Moscow, I think), or even Korean ones that I can think of.

Re: Deciphering Dots on a Map

Jack Yan — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 08:46:00 -0000

I wonder if the Russians are talking among themselves. I have been on to the odd Russian blog and they are heavy on comments, all from locals. One of them was about something I wrote!

Re: Rugby: It’s a mans, mans world!

Jack Yan — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 08:49:00 -0000

As far as I can tell with rugby, you cannot pass the bladder forwards, only backwards, but you can kick it forwards. You score a try taking it across the line, and you can convert it by kicking it between the goalposts. Makes little sense to me (why go back when you need to go forward?), and sweaty guys do nothing for me, either!
I am a motor racing nut and quite happy to remain that way, while soccer is acceptable to me, except post-goal hugs are getting too extreme these days.

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 08:52:00 -0000

Brown is as dull as the Tory leader (whomever he is—see, I have forgotten already after discussing it) is invisible. British General Elections have become “presidential” thanks to Blair, something that has harmed Gordon Brown’s chances. I think he would do dismally on a campaign, especially in these spin- and image-led days.
I know it’s not Michael Howard, but I would be darned if I could remember who the Tory guy is.

Re: Lets Give the Mona Lisa a Boob Job

Jack Yan — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 10:18:00 -0000

I hear in Malaysia, censors butcher ﬁlms to the extent where there can be an entire hour missing. Not that that matters: you can get the pirate version somewhere down the road. The Ned Flanders version rests somewhere ’twixt them.

Re: Lets Give the Mona Lisa a Boob Job

Jack Yan — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 05:09:00 -0000

It’s a pretty bonkers place, Malaysia. Love the Malays to bits though.
WBS, it is odd, isn’t it? TV shows in America can be violent as heck but you can’t swear! My American friends are all surprised when I tell them that you can swear after 9 p.m. here on a network. Yet you can eat maggots on Fear Factor, which I think is far more offensive—naturally, I change the channel when the gross stuff comes on.

Re: Deciphering Dots on a Map

Jack Yan — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 05:11:00 -0000

Ooh, Kate, I just noticed what a big blob I am on your map!

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 05:16:00 -0000

The policies might be the same and rather unimaginative. Here in New Zealand, if you work out the sums, we are really talking plus or minus 10 per cent in terms of spending for each area. You hear the same thing in Britain each time: tougher on crime, more efﬁcient NHS and a promise to redress the balance with declining educational standards. (Actually, you hear the same stuff here.)

Re: The Sunday Trumpet - War of the Worlds

Jack Yan — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 05:17:00 -0000

And yes, of course, David Cameron! I can’t even picture the man.

Re: Rugby: It’s a mans, mans world!

Jack Yan — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 05:19:00 -0000

I was watching the 1998 World Cup ﬁnal on tape, and Zidane’s ﬁrst two goals were met by some hugs, but hardly anything like what we saw this time round. I, too, worry about the chap at the bottom—will it take a serious injury for these soccer players to ﬁnd some restraint?
Thank you for the lead to Beki’s blog. I’ll hop over right now!

Re: Feel Pooey, So Here’s a Quiz

Jack Yan — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 07:19:00 -0000

Ooh, got a nice 80 per cent on that quiz. I hope so … And no hurry on the comments. I am tired and need to see to emails tonight.

Re: No More Used Kitty Litter

Jack Yan — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 07:21:00 -0000

That’s a shame. I’ve enjoyed Charlie’s writings from time to time. Wish we could send him some nice farewell comments.

Re: FOAD Thursday

Jack Yan — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 05:21:00 -0000

Die, reality TV, die! (Sorry, I had to take your Big Brother comment further.)

Re: Tagged by Pie

Jack Yan — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 19:15:00 -0000

You wouldn’t have to pay for a Blair-heckler, surely? (They are subsidized by the Conservative Party.)
Cotswoldgent, there was a small effort to get together bloggers who wanted to quit smoking earlier this year—I had it on my blog here.

Re: FOAD Thursday

Jack Yan — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 19:20:00 -0000

Thank you! The gf took that not long after we began “ofﬁcially” courting.

Re: FOAD Thursday

Jack Yan — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 18:25:00 -0000

The camera, a Voigtländer Bessamatic, is from 1959—and still in tip-top condition. I am one of those hoarders who keep everything pristine!

Re: This is Dedicated . . .

Jack Yan — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 09:56:00 -0000

I like the new blog, Kate. The typography is nice, too—very smart, with Times Roman. Congratulations to you and Charlie!

Re: This is Dedicated . . .

Jack Yan — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 11:15:00 -0000

Nixxie, those header images are disturbing. (And deserving of ‘WTF?’)

Re: US Labor Day meme

Jack Yan — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 03:17:00 -0000

Thank you for picking up the meme, Kate! The weather is still cool here, even though it’s spring. Or maybe it’s because I am ’ﬂuey right now.
I think Labor Day is like May Day. We have Labour Day here in New Zealand along similar lines. Except we can spell labour properly.

Re: One More Thing

Jack Yan — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 03:43:00 -0000

That’s an amazing story: thanks for sharing, Kate! Pete, I agree with your ﬁlm sentiments. This story has huge possibilities and is better than 84, in my view.

Re: And now a blog quiz

Jack Yan — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 03:50:00 -0000

That was fun: call me Cary! (Or Archie.) ‘You scored 19% Tough, 14% Roguish, 33% Friendly, and 38% Charming!’

Re: And now a blog quiz

Jack Yan — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 18:43:00 -0000

If an actor went in with Archibald Leach today, he’d be laughed at. That’s as daft a name as Meryl Streep or Rénée Zellweger! I still like Cary’s later stuff like North by Northwest and Charade but I should keep an eye out for Kind Hearts and Coronets. I haven’t seen it before.

Re: And now a blog quiz

Jack Yan — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 20:20:00 -0000

I mix up ginger and garlic—English being my second language. Just never got those two straight.

Re: Book and Film Club

Jack Yan — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 20:23:00 -0000

I’ll be there (since I am linked to only half a dozen Vox blogs!).

Re: The leader whose name was Shackleton

Jack Yan — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 13:55:00 -0000

Thank you, Gwen. These leadership lessons are worth reminding ourselves about, and to practise them whenever practicable.

Re: How to get your article published in the press?

Jack Yan — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 08:20:00 -0000

Connections will increase your chances of publication but I would recommend starting with a press release, and make sure that it details something newsworthy. If it is a proper article, then target it as best you can.

Re: How to get your article published in the press?

Jack Yan — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 07:02:00 -0000

Hi Gwen: you know, I have had a lot of luck with cold releases. Maybe target them worldwide (which helps, because if your home country sees others cover it, it may be spurred into action). Secondly, I sometimes include low-res images with a link for the journalist to get more. Journos and editors love pics, especially in todayÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s magazine environment where there is greater competition and, therefore, a greater use of pictorials.
Here are a bunch of ours. ThereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s also a password-protected photo page, which helps as well.

Re: From Brainstorming to Meetings I

Jack Yan — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 22:42:00 -0000

Excellent post, BL. ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s also important for participants to remember to not reject any ideas before opening their mouths. Everyone should go for itÃ¢â‚¬â€thatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s when the out-of-the-box magic begins to happen.

Re: Simplicity rules - the ongoing animosity between Microsoft and Apple

Jack Yan — Wed, 10 May 2006 16:40:00 -0000

Excellent points here. Simplicity will always work over complexity in communications, because the human mind prefers it (we east Asians need to remember this when we are next tempted to ﬁll up a layout like crazyÃ¢â‚¬â€using all the space can be disadvantageous). And an emotive image works more strongly than one that is too plainÃ¢â‚¬â€of course we expect someone can enjoy a product, so seeing that on the Microsoft package is no surprise. It fails to create an attitude for the brand.
Interestingly, I understand that this video was produced by Microsoft as an internal tool.

Re: This Week, Entrepreneurs Around The World: 12 May 2006

Jack Yan — Fri, 12 May 2006 23:40:00 -0000

I am very honoured to be named, BL, by a blog that is so well written and highly regarded by meÃ¢â‚¬â€and alongside Guy as well! Absolutely wonderful. Thank you.

Re: This Week, Entrepreneurs Around The World: 12 May 2006

Jack Yan — Sat, 13 May 2006 22:04:00 -0000

IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll be happy to look at helping out. What would the cross-linking involve, BL? Would I put an entry with a link from my blog to something you have written and vice versa?

Re: This Week, Entrepreneurs Around The World: 12 May 2006

Jack Yan — Sun, 14 May 2006 09:32:00 -0000

I mightnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t have time to write something special as I blog for leisure only, but I can rustle up something for both our sites when I am next in the mood on that subject.
As to Beyond Branding, you may have noticed the individual writers have all departed to their own blogs now, so the main site is a collection of our posts. IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m afraid I wonÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t be able to help with BB but I am happy to do something between my site and yours.

Re: New Clothes for the New year

Jack Yan — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 15:12:00 -0000

Thanks for the mention of this event, Mico!

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever – A Survivors Story

Jack Yan — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:00:00 -0000

Wow, Randy, that was an amazing trip all right. I am glad you and TBT are safe.