Archive for November, 2010
Enjoying Deliciousness
by Aidan on Nov.30, 2010, under Thoughts
Some amusing Engrish I discovered when I was in Japan.
From a confectionery company’s advertising:
North Korean Spam
by Aidan on Nov.29, 2010, under Thoughts
Akismet is an essential plugin if you’re using WordPress. It’s a plugin that filters out spam comments. Every now and then I like to have a look what has ended up in the spam folder.
Recently I’ve been getting a few messages where someone promoting martial arts schools has been leaving comments about the recent conflict on the Korean peninsula. The comments are along the lines that the US shouldn’t waste any money protecting the South Koreans and the South Koreans should be able to fight for themselves. I’m not sure exactly why someone would think this would be a good advertisement (other than the obvious reason of simply attracting controversy) for a martial arts school.
Last year I did a summary of some of the search terms that people had used to reach my web site.
http://www.aidandoyle.net/2009/11/26/what-do-you-think-youre-looking-at/
Searching for information about Eastern Europe (especially maps) seems to be one of the most common ways people reach my web site. Here are a few of the more interesting search terms people used:
Chinese Version of Reading By Numbers
by Aidan on Nov.28, 2010, under My Writing, Writing
I ended up corresponding with White Moon, the Chinese woman that did the translation of Hokkaido Green.
And now there is an authorised Mandarin translation of my story, Reading By Numbers.
Given the structure and formatting of the story, it wouldn’t have been the easiest story to translate, but she has managed to translate it and still preserve the story’s hidden message.
Hokkaido Green Comments
by Aidan on Nov.28, 2010, under My Writing, Writing
Another interesting comment about my story, Hokkaido Green:
You’ll sorta understand this feeling when you get older. But it’d be really good if you understood it now so that you never have to.
http://www.vgf.com/forums/mindless-link-propagation/76026-hokkaido-green-short-story.html
Australian Spec Fiction on Sale
by Aidan on Nov.17, 2010, under Awards, Publishing News, Writing
From the Aurealis Awards web site:
http://www.aurealisawards.com/
Some of Australia’s best SF writers have donated their works to raise money for the awards ceremony.
Some of the biggest names in Australian speculative fiction have generously given their novels and short stories for us to auction on Ebay!
Where else can you buy an original print from Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld or a bundle of autographed fantasy, science fiction or horror novels from a huge list of Aussie authors including: Sara Douglass, Ian Irvine, Sean Williams and Shane Dix, Traci Harding, Karen Miller, Stephen Irwin, Nathan Burrage, Richard Harland, Marianne De Pierres, Angela Slatter, Kate Forsyth, Isabel Merlin, Sophie Masson, Jack Dann, Kaaron Warren, Shane Jiraiya Cummings and Kirstyn McDermott?
The autographed books are being auctioned off in five book bundles. For a complete description of the contents of each bundle or to bid on one of these great items refer to the list of Ebay item numbers below and make sure you place your bid between 16 and 25 November, 2010.


