[googlegroups2sucks]

think for a moment the last time you jotted down a phone number w/o a
name attached, or a name w/o what company he worked for, then quickly
stuffed it into your wallet or purse. after some time, maybe a couple
weeks or a month later, you look at the number but can't place who's
number it is, or can't picture the person behind the name, or perhaps
in college, you look at lecture notes during exam time and notice that
none of it makes any damn sense and wish you'd taken better notes. any
of this ever happen to you? something that made perfect sense in the
moment you wrote it down, doesn't make any sense whatsoever later on
because you've forgotten its context.

now, whenever you write a post or email or whatever else for public
consumption, there's a good chance that the person reading it won't get
the full message of whatever you wrote because that person has no idea
of whatever context you had in mind. that person will go through the
same bafflement you might go through when reading old notes you've
forgotten the context of.

then there's the "inside joke" effect. there's a circle of friends
that you're in constant contact with, read the same emails or articles
or watch the same tv shows or movies, in other words, people who have
contextual frameworks that are in high sync. everyone has almost the
same palette of working information in the foreground. you drop an
inside joke word or phrase and everyone laughs or chuckles at its
meaning. however, keep in mind that what may seem blindingly obvious
or unbearably blunt to you and your buddies, may be completely
insignificant or alien to anyone outside the highly synchronized info
framework. we get this jarring feeling of insularity -- either yours
or theirs -- whenever you hear something wildly out of whack (e.g. that
WMD had been found in iraq). that's not necessarily an aberrational
lunatic, it could indicate a rational person within an entirely
different set of info or groups of friends, etc.

then there's differing levels of reading comprehension (some people
have difficulty reading even simple sentences), or differing moods of
the readers (some are calm, others are rushed, others are drunk or
high). there's also this medium almost devoid of non-verbal cues such
as facial expression, or tone of voice, or hand movements, or a
thousand other variations of body language we take for granted in
person. it's very easy to forget this when we write or read things
online.

for example: let's say you're in a room with another person. you
don't need to say their name to gain their attention, you don't even
need to face that person because it's implicitly obvious you're talking
to that person. it's quite a different story when you're in the middle
of a crowd or party. you can't assume that the person you want to
address will always hear what you're saying if you just say things into
the crowd. in fact, it's pretty dumb to assume that. you need to
gather up your courage and _say_ the person's name that you want to
communicate with. it's also pretty silly to assume that a person not
even looking in your direction, who is in conversation with someone
else, will automatically hear and understand whatever the hell you're
saying from across the room in the middle of a crowd.

don't forget, there's thousands of people online, thousands coming and
going, thousands saying millions of things every week. in this chaotic
mix, with trillions of bytes flying around at the speed of light --
we're all sick of uncertainty, right? we all want more certainty. i
know i do. this is why, whenever i'm trying to communicate with
someone -- drumroll, please -- i have enough guts and confidence to
STATE THE NAME OF THE PERSON I WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH. how about
that? hey, i'm not called fearless for nothing, you know.

so what am i getting at? it's very, very, very easy to miscommunicate
online.

just what is the insane rationale that in a world of info overload, and
constant miscommunication and never ending misinformation, people have
a tendency to not directly refer to the person they're replying to?
hmm? do you get up in the morning determined to inject more
uncertainty into this world? (e.g. sure, that's what the pacific
ocean needs -- more water!)

you know, a lot of what i write is a mirror of what i read from
someplace else. if you're trying to communicate to me by way of
echoing certain phrases or words i use, it doesn't really work. 80% of
the time, i'm wondering if you're replying to me or the person i
echoed. or because of the lightning fast speed of internet
communication, you could be easily echoing someone who just read and
echoed me. or two or three or 100 people can easily come up with the
exact same thought or phrase or word, at the exact same time, so it's
never a definitive thing. it's just more uncertainty.

ok, folks, here's the deal: unless you refer to me or my posts
directly (e.g. using exact quotes), i'm going to assume you're talking
to someone else. (actually, i've been in this mode for some time now.)

and here's the kicker: i'm not implicating all of my readers. just
some of you. but i'm not going to name names. why? because i'm
feeling weaselly, just like you. if you think i'm referring to you and
get upset, i'll simply ignore or deny it -- even though i really was
thinking of you. why? because i'm feeling weaselly and generally too
damn wimpy overall. see, this way, the issue can never get resolved
and don't we all love tiresome issues that never go away? ugly public
spats must be avoided at all costs! so i must avoid one now by
refusing to name names!

i must mirror their wicked ways...


Mirror Man
Human League
WORDS & MUSIC BY OAKEY/CALLIS/BURDEN
PRODUCER: MARTIN RUSHENT
RECORDED AT GENETIC STUDIOS, READING
RELEASED: 23.11.81 ON VIRGIN RECORDS
HIGHEST UK CHART POSITION: 2
WEEKS ON CHART: 10

The water shines
A pebble skips across the face
A dozen times
Then disappears not a trace
Left behind
The thrower turns and walks away
A change of mind
Another start, a brand new day

You know I'll change
If change is what you require
Your every wish
Your every dream, hope, desire

Here comes the Mirror Man
Says he's a People fan
Here comes the Mirror Man

And if it seems
I'm not the one you used to know
Our little friendship
Left behind not long ago
Don't feel too hurt
As distance heals the strongest pain
Things are much better now
And just a nagging doubt remains

You know I'll change
If change is what you require
Your every wish
Your every dream, hope, desire

Here comes the Mirror Man
Says he's a People fan
Here comes the Mirror Man

(Repeat to fade)

Archived from group: alt>cake

[googlegroups2sucks]

whenever you have a complicated problem, it's almost always because of
a series of factors and not just one thing. you may have a "first
among equals" factor, or major factors, or a champion factor, but it's
usually complicated, and so usually difficult to understand, difficult
to make known (too boring for most), and difficult to solve --
particularly in a democracy.

my take on that is simple, because simple is the only thing will work
with a largely uninformed electorate: if you're too busy to study the
issues, then listen to people who tend to be right. forget about the
icing -- who has optimistic bullshit or has pessimistic bullshit --
what matters most is if they get it right.

you know, you could've been optimistic about postwar iraq and the iraqi
people's ability to govern themselves after the war, and so plan very
little, but that kind of optimism got people killed. you could've also
been very pessimistic about the UN's ability to neutralize iraq's wmd
threat and thus advocate war, but that kind of pessimism also got
people killed over wmd that didn't even exist. so i don't want to hear
anymore about your optimistic or pessimistic framework, about your
desire for hope or addiction to fear. to hell with that. go watch
american idol or fear factor and leave me alone, because your kind of
wishful thinking gets people killed unnecessarily.

[googlegroups2sucks]

[ if you look at the current cover of fortune, you'll see a picture of
steve jobs with a "bo-tie" (as i spell it. . the issue is focused
on teamwork and there's a reference to the "a-team" from the 80s, and
"texaco towers" below, which they could've gotten from hertzfeld's
folklore.org.

i don't know if they're echoing the steve jobs musical bit... in any
case, it's the first encouraging sign that someone other than myself
likes the musical series, so maybe i'll give it another stab soon. i
have to finish up the second act, and haven't quite worked out the
third act yet. we'll see how it goes. ]


http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/31/magazines/fortune/sixteams_greatteams_fortune_061206/index.htm

Six teams that changed the world

Here are the teambuilding secrets of the designers of the Mac, the ad
agency that came up with Mastercard's "priceless" campaign, and more.
May 31, 2006: 1:15 PM EDT



Biting the Apple

They were known as dropouts, artists, evangelists, geniuses,
iconoclasts, pirates - and friends. Sometimes even best friends. The
early team of four, which grew to dozens, wanted to make a personal
computer easy enough for a civilian to use without fear or loathing and
inexpensive enough to be affordable. But the happy few who worked on
the Mac also saw in the new world of computing a potentially profound
force. Their ultimate goal was to unleash, in themselves and others,
limitless individual creativity.

The Mac team, headed by Apple (Research) co-founder Steve Jobs,
operated like a superstealth startup within the company. Holed up in an
ascetic, two-story building near a gas station dubbed the "Texaco
Towers," the team was intensely competitive with other Apple divisions,
such as the Lisa computer.

Jobs set ridiculous deadlines: The caffeine-fueled software team once
debugged for 48 hours straight rather than face him without having
finished the task. There were epic battles and broken friendships - Jef
Raskin, who started the Mac research project in 1979, got frustrated
and left Apple in 1982. But Jobs' famous rebel yell - "It's better to
be a pirate than join the Navy" - captured the renegade spirit that saw
the team through 90-hour work- weeks at stunningly low pay.

In 1983, after three years of labor, the Mac was born. Priced at
$2,495, it featured a clean, intuitive graphic user interface that
allowed nonprogrammers to use it almost instantly, without geek
supervision. When it was turned on, a friendly little icon smiled out
at the world. And the world smiled back - the Mac sold faster than any
PC that came before.

Although the Mac went on to a difficult adolescence, it was the
collective expression of the people who loved it - and marked a turning
point in the history of the PC. -- By Ellen McGirt



The right stuff

The place became such a legend, they trademarked the name - and even a
skunk. Founded in 1943, Lockheed's Skunk Works built a series of
remarkable aircraft, including the F-104 Starfighter and the U-2 and
SR-71 spy planes. In the process, it created an icon that many a
company has attempted to imitate.

How did Lockheed do it? A tyrant as well as a huge talent, aeronautical
genius Kelly Johnson insisted on working with a bare-bones staff who
were devoted to the work. He put the designers right next to the
metalworkers so they didn't draft anything unbuildable. And he kept the
number of visitors, even from the CIA and the Air Force, to a minimum.
Left alone, the Skunks Works team pushed aeronautics forward at warp
speed. -- Stuart F. Brown


[ the key to johnson, was both technical mastery as well as knowing how
to pick and keep talent. if i recall correctly (from a book i read
years ago), johnson is the guy who mentored ben rich, who in turn,
developed stealth technologies later on -- skunk works' greatest
success, imho.

btw, imagine if you looked over a colleague's shoulder at work, just
curious to see what he's up to. irritated at your presence, the
colleague then grabs your necktie with one hand, then slices off half
of it with his scissors. how long would a guy like that last in your
workplace? at skunkworks, a guy like that thrived because they put a
premium on talent over all else, and put up with excesses if he could
produce. i'm not saying talent should give you a blank check to do
whatever the hell you want, but there's a tradeoff there.

another thing i took from the skunkworks story is that they used
off-the-shelf parts at every opportunity, even though they specialized
in innovative aircraft. they didn't believe in reinventing the wheel
all the freaking time -- too risky and too expensive -- since they had
projects that were inherently too risky and too expensive to begin
with.

....anyway, a helluva team. those guys truly did change the world with
their work. ]

[googlegroups2sucks]

there are those who may claim that one person may give of his words or
actions not because of belief, but because of personal glory or fame or
some other ulterior motive, much as a prostitute give may give of his
or her body because of money, though proclaiming love. i'm not immune
to such suspicions myself, much as how i detest lobbyists and what they
do to the political process for the few, at the expense of society as a
whole. but if you view me as just another lobbyist, well, how many
lobbyists are demanding an end to their profession? i am free to say
stop this legalized bribery called lobbying, because unlike them, no
one is paying me anything.

as for combining aid with anti-corruption reform with strategic
purposes, it's true that it undermines the whole thing for a lot of
people, but it also reinforces each purpose for a lot too. to the
perpetual cynics, it's like proclaiming love for the sick, but the
person is really after the money or politics or some other ulterior
motive.

never mind that my whole personal thesis, indeed who i am and how i
think, is about the integration or synthesis of the mind and heart, of
digital and analog, of hard reform and quiet ideals.

let me give a crazy example...

to me those reasons always rung shallow, like arguing that because of
the pliers on a leatherman multi-tool, anyone who proclaims they love a
leatherman for its blade is full of it. they may have a point if the
blade is made of plastic, not 154cm steel. in that case, show evidence
that the blade is made of fisher-price plastic instead of going around
babbling about ulterior motives or agendas like a passionless
piddlywink. in the end, if the blade cuts like high carbon steel,
that's what matters most.

yes, of course there are compromises, and as someone with a healthy
streak of perfectionism, i understand the purity arguments. i love
perfect craftsmanship. i appreciate the hard work or brilliance
required of excellence. i know you can't substitute an itty-bitty
leatherman blade for what a razor-sharp 7" marine ka-bar can do. i
know you can't substitute a full set of mac pliers for an itty-bitty
leatherman plier.

but guess what?

you also can't substitute the utility of having a multi-tool on your
belt, for high-performing tools that are 50 yards away in your trunk,
or 5 miles away in your closet. the best tool is what you have with
you, and not some gold-plated tool you don't have because it's a hassle
to lug around all day. therein lies the benefit of compromise and
integration. not that it performs like a world-class champ, but the
minor miracle is that it's even there. the benefit is utility when you
need it most.

so, the blade doesn't necessarily undermines the motivation for the
plier, it's that the blade combined with the plier adds to the utility
of the multi-tool, and the more tools you can add without the
multi-tool getting too big or too heavy or otherwise too impractical,
the more utility you add as a whole. the premise isn't to make
everyone buy into everything, but that everyone buying into a portion
makes it more likely it will be accepted and actually work. the small
miracle is that it's even there, and so much better than nothing at
all. and so much better than never ending war.

[googlegroups2sucks]

http://www.microsoft.com/billgates/speeches/2006/06-15transition.asp

Remarks by Bill Gates, Chairman and Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft Corp.
News Conference: A New Era of Technical Leadership at Microsoft
Redmond, Washington
June 15, 2006



BILL GATES:

Even as I prepare to shift my focus in July 2008, I know Microsoft is
well-positioned for success in the years ahead. Our core businesses are
strong. We have a clear vision for how we will meet new challenges and
opportunities. We just had our first US$12 billion quarter. We continue
to generate almost a billion dollars in profit every month. We are
about to launch breakthrough versions of Windows, Office and Exchange,
which are already generating a lot of excitement.

[ catch that? a billion dollars in profit every month. ]

Six years ago, Steve and I made a major transition when he stepped up
to be CEO. He's done a fantastic job by every measure, whether it's
the people he's brought in, the new ways he's running the company,
or just the objective results, like doubling our sales and profits
during that time. Steve has driven us to make bold bets on things like
Xbox, Real Time Communications, business applications, IPTV, and many
others including the Live platform. Steve is the best CEO for Microsoft
I could imagine. He is changing the company in ways it needs to be
changed. He is bringing in new leadership at all levels. And he is
focused on the long term, how to make Microsoft a great company not
just for today but for decades to come.

The change we're announcing today is not a retirement. It's a
reordering of my priorities. There's a common thread through my
different work, at Microsoft and at the Foundation. It's a sense of
optimism that smart, committed people with the right support and vision
can have a huge impact. It's about using technology, not just for the
privileged few but for everyone.

The road ahead will let me take on new challenges while keeping my
connection to this great company. The road ahead for Microsoft is as
bright as ever.

The dream of what software can do is just beginning. We see it day by
day as we're revolutionizing business and entertainment. So many of the
seeds we've planted, whether it's gaming or TV or development or
communications, have just started to grow. The biggest impact is yet to
come.

And as Steve Ballmer comes up to share his thoughts, I want to say that
one of the hardest things about my decision is that a couple years from
now I'll miss working with Steve every day as I have for the past 26
years. I couldn't ask for a better business partner, or a better
friend.

STEVE BALLMER: Thanks, Bill. Thank you for those very, very kind words.

Every day for the last 26 years, it has been my privilege to work
shoulder-to-shoulder with a true visionary, Bill Gates, my friend, more
than anyone else, unleashed the technology revolution, and who is now
headed, in my opinion, to become the greatest philanthropist of all
time.

I know the contribution you will make to the world of health and
education will be as great as the contribution you've made, and
continue to make, to the world of software.


[ i knew they've been partners a long time and were close, but i didn't
realize until now, just how deep and wide their relationship has been.

those words spoken up there? i have no doubt they meant every word
they said. every single word. it's a wonderful thing... ]

[googlegroups2sucks]

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2006/tc20060621_022435.htm?chan=technology_technology+index+page_today's+top+stories

Apple's iTunes Movie Muddle
JUNE 21, 2006
Technology
By Peter Burrows and Ron Grover



NO COMPETITION. But some percentage of that 30 million is for music
videos and video podcasts (the company won't break out details of the
mix). Piper Jaffrey analyst Gene Munster figures the company has sold
20 million of its video-enabled iPods since they were introduced last
year. Translation: statistically speaking, the average video iPod owner
has purchased just 1.5 videos. "The reality is that people don't want
to watch video on their iPods," says Piper Jaffrey's Munster.


[ piper jaffrey's munster. anyway, mr. munster is right, people
don't want to watch movies on ipods.

the entire thrust of home theater is bigger screens, higher def, deeper
bass, more discrete channels, etc. there may be some fraction that
wants to see the latest bruckheimer bang-bang picture during their
workout, but i doubt it's huge.

people don't want to make playlists from movies, (e.g. chapter 3 from
godfather, then chapter 9 from poltergeist, then chapter 13 from police
academy), or have a library of 3,000 movie titles to aggregate. people
don't want to watch spiderman a dozen times in a row.

i think the future for movies isn't going to be itsy-bitsy ipods. it's
going to be servers -- either on the web (eg. server farms provided by
google or microsoft or others), or in the home as an appliance (as
george lucas mentioned earlier), or some combination of the two.

ipod is ideally suited to take over from sony's walkman, not sony's
trinitron. ]

[googlegroups2sucks]

http://www.thestar.com/

Gates' top geek
After years of courting, the Microsoft chief is grooming affable Ray
Ozzie to take over his software empire
Jun. 25, 2006. 07:27 AM
>From the Economist magazine

The co-founder, chairman and "chief software architect" of Microsoft,
the world's largest software company, would deny it on his life, but
the one person Bill Gates admires most for his geeky prowess - and
might have chosen to succeed him as software architect - is almost
certainly Steve Jobs.

Unfortunately, Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Computer and victim of
Gates' predatory business instincts during the 1980s and 1990s, cannot
be considered available, since he is busy leading Apple's renaissance
as a builder of gadgets and software that, in the opinion of his fans,
put Microsoft to shame.

So Gates spent years courting the geek he admires second most, a
software pioneer named Ray Ozzie.



His single biggest breakthrough came in the 1980s, when Ozzie
personally wrote a million of the first 3.5 million lines of code for
the first successful collaboration software, Lotus Notes.


[ there's no question there are those just in it for the money, or the
fame, or the legacy, or the glory, or some other self-centered motive,
and initially, i'm sure the likes of gates, ballmer, ozzie, jobs was
driven primarily by those factors. after all, you need money to pay
the bills, meet payroll, basic necessities, and there's nothing wrong
with that. however, the common mistake is to then extend that line of
reasoning, as if motives were one-dimensional and constant. the
mistake is to regard motives as digital.

the question is, why do these guys -- who have more money, fame, or
influence than any normal human being can possibly want or spend --
keep wanting more?

well, i think the common thread among them is simply the joy of
creating and competing and collecting, believe it or not. when i used
to code games as a teenager, what struck me most was how much more
_satisfying_ it was to create games than it was to play it. i got a
greater kick out of watching others play my games, than playing it
myself. (i hear the same themes in dvd commentaries, where filmmakers
or actors or whomever, rarely seem to watch their own work and in fact,
seem to pride themselves on not watching it.) games were played not so
much to get my thrills, but mostly to analyse how they structured and
implemented gaming concepts, and basically say... how the heck did they
do that so fast or so smooth or so complex??

same thing with the competition aspect, and the collecting mentality.
it's not so much money anymore for them, than it is about bragging
rights and the simple joys of... boy, wouldn't it be great to win that
game with my friends and team, against that sumbitch or his evil team,
or wouldn't it be neat to dominate that category? the accolades or
money is icing on the cake. the process or journey is the cake.

gates is a coder foremost and one of the most competitive players i've
ever seen, and while he may not think less of you as a person for not
being able to code lines, he's certainly not going to hire a non-coder
as chief software architect. i don't think jobs' forte is coding (and
neither is it mine). i think hell would freeze over before gates ever
wanted jobs to be "chief software architect" at microsoft (not to
mention that i also think jobs would rather stick a fork in his eye
than work for microsoft).

this sentence in the piece above, "The co-founder, chairman and "chief
software architect" of Microsoft, the world's largest software company,
would deny it on his life, but the one person Bill Gates admires most
for his geeky prowess - and might have chosen to succeed him as
software architect - is almost certainly Steve Jobs." is one of the
silliest things i've read in a long time. it's just another instance
where you read an article... then shake your head in disbelief. ]

[googlegroups2sucks]

[ the size of the generosity is simply staggering. it will literally,
without much hyperbole, save millions of lives long term.

more later. ]



http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/25/magazines/fortune/charity1.fortune/index.htm

Warren Buffett gives away his fortune

FORTUNE EXCLUSIVE: The world's second richest man - who's now worth $44
billion - tells editor-at-large Carol Loomis he will start giving away
85% of his wealth in July - most of it to the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation.

By Carol J. Loomis, FORTUNE editor-at-large
June 25, 2006: 1:42 PM EDT


NEW YORK (FORTUNE Magazine) - We were sitting in a Manhattan living
room on a spring afternoon, and Warren Buffett had a Cherry Coke in his
hand as usual. But this unremarkable scene was about to take a
surprising turn.

"Brace yourself," Buffett warned with a grin. He then described a
momentous change in his thinking. Within months, he said, he would
begin to give away his Berkshire Hathaway fortune, then and now worth
well over $40 billion.

This news was indeed stunning. Buffett, 75, has for decades said his
wealth would go to philanthropy but has just as steadily indicated the
handoff would be made at his death. Now he was revising the timetable.

"I know what I want to do," he said, "and it makes sense to get going."
On that spring day his plan was uncertain in some of its details; today
it is essentially complete. And it is typical Buffett: rational,
original, breaking the mold of how extremely rich people donate money.

Buffett has pledged to gradually give 85% of his Berkshire stock to
five foundations. A dominant five-sixths of the shares will go to the
world's largest philanthropic organization, the $30 billion Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation, whose principals are close friends of
Buffett's (a connection that began in 1991, when a mutual friend
introduced Buffett and Bill Gates).

The Gateses credit Buffett, says Bill, with having "inspired" their
thinking about giving money back to society. Their foundation's
activities, internationally famous, are focused on world health --
fighting such diseases as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis -- and on
improving U.S. libraries and high schools.

Up to now, the two Gateses have been the only trustees of their
foundation. But as his plan gets underway, Buffett will be joining
them. Bill Gates says he and his wife are "thrilled" by that and by
knowing that Buffett's money will allow the foundation to "both deepen
and accelerate" its work. "The generosity and trust Warren has shown,"
Gates adds, "is incredible." Beginning in July and continuing every
year, Buffett will give a set, annually declining number of Berkshire B
shares - starting with 602,500 in 2006 and then decreasing by 5% per
year - to the five foundations. The gifts to the Gates foundation will
be made either by Buffett or through his estate as long as at least one
of the pair -- Bill, now 50, or Melinda, 41 -- is active in it.

Berkshire's price on the date of each gift will determine its dollar
value. Were B shares, for example, to be $3,071 in July - that was
their close on June 23 - Buffett's 2006 gift to the foundation, 500,000
shares, would be worth about $1.5 billion. With so much new money to
handle, the foundation will be given two years to resize its
operations. But it will then be required by the terms of Buffett's gift
to annually spend the dollar amount of his contributions as well as
those it is already making from its existing assets. At the moment,
$1.5 billion would roughly double the foundation's yearly benefactions.
But the $1.5 billion has little relevance to the value of Buffett's
future gifts, since their amount will depend on the price of
Berkshire's stock when they are made. If the stock rises yearly, on
average, by even a modest amount - say, 6% - the gain will more than
offset the annual 5% decline in the number of shares given. Under those
circumstances, the value of Buffett's contributions will rise.

[googlegroups2sucks]

http://travel.canoe.ca/Travel/News/2006/06/27/1656613-cp.html

Japanese prime minister visits Niagara Falls, calls sights
"magnificent"

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi takes in the view as he tours
Niagara Falls, Ont., Tuesday June 27, 2006. (CP PHOTO/Adrian Wyld)

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. (CP) - The roar of water over Niagara Falls appears
to have captured the heart of a prominent tourist - the prime minister
of Japan.

Junichiro Koizumi made his first visit to the falls on Tuesday,
declaring the Canadian landmark "magnificent" and "beautiful."

The prime minister, who was on a private trip to Niagara Falls, grinned
widely as he peered over the metal railing and into the abyss,
questioning why the water was green.



[ an understandable question, coming from sea of japan and pacific
ocean kinda man, where the waters tend to be dark blue, if i'm not
mistaken.

i think the chlorophyll (necessary for photosynthesis) in fresh water
algae absorbs blues and reds (i.e. magenta) and reflects green. the
algae itself grows more concentrated from the warmer temps of the
summer months, as well as from pollution, thereby causing the great
lakes waters to look greener than usual.

....either that or cleveland is dumping vast amounts of green dye into
lake erie for some mysterious reason. when in doubt, one should always
blame cleveland. ]



"He was most impressed by the volume of water and the beauty," said
Niagara Falls Mayor Ted Salci, who escorted the prime minister.

"He said that they don't have falls like that in Japan."

Koizumi gestured excitedly toward the falls and also to the city's
Skylon Tower, a 158-metre-high observation tower.

A trip below the rim of the great gorge followed as Koizumi travelled
into tunnels behind the cascade, which allows visitors to walk out into
the mist swirling around the bottom of falls.

"We were soaked," said Salci. "We had raincoats, but with no sleeves,
we got wet."

But Salci said Koizumi was "thoroughly impressed" and, in fact, one
glimpse of Niagara Falls was not enough.

After emerging from the tunnels, Koizumi didn't simply head to a
waiting car, but veered back to the edge and lingered for a
second-look.

Koizumi is in Canada for summit talks in Ottawa on Wednesday with Prime
Minister Stephen Harper.

>From there, he'll head to the U.S., where he and President George W.
Bush are scheduled to visit Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley.

[googlegroups2sucks]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060629-3.html

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 29, 2006

President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Participate in a
Joint Press Availability
The East Room
11:33 A.M. EDT



PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI: (As translated.)

Japan and the United States is in a Japan-U.S. alliance in the world,
and we confirmed that we can cooperate with each other on various
challenges, maintain Japan's security and deterrence, and reduce
burdens on local communities. On these points we were able to have a
very important agreement, and we're most grateful for that.

In the meeting, we discussed not just Japan-U.S. bilateral relations,
but numerous challenges that the world community faces today --
Afghanistan, North Korea, poverty reduction -- reduced poverty for
people who suffer from various diseases. We shared common perception,
and by doing so we'll be able to cooperate with each other.



PRESIDENT BUSH:

You know, a lot of the focus of our relationship is based upon,
obviously, Iraq and Afghanistan, but the truth of the matter is, Japan
and the United States make mighty contributions to end suffering
because of disease and hunger. And that's why I appreciate the Prime
Minister's leadership. He understands that with economic might comes
serious responsibilities in the world. And the United States takes
those responsibilities seriously, and so does Japan.



PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI: Thank you, very much, American people, for
"Love Me Tender." (Laughter.)



[ well, you heard the man. ]



Love Me Tender
Vera Matson/Ken Darby
Elvis Presley

Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go.
You have made my life complete and I love you so.
Love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfill.
For my darlin', I love you and I always will.

Love me tender, love me long, take me to your heart.
For it's there that I belong and we'll never part.
Love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfill.
For my darlin', I love you and I always will.

Love me tender, love me dear, tell me you are mine.
I'll be yours through all the years till the end of time.
Love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfill.
For my darlin', I love you and I always will.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Me_Tender_%28song%29

Love Me Tender

Background

A song sung by Elvis Presley, to the tune of "Aura Lee" (or "Aura
Lea"), a sentimental Civil War ballad with music by George R. Poulton
and words by W.W. Fosdick. It was published in 1861 and this Civil War
song later became popular with college glee clubs and barbershop
quartets. It was also sung at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point,
New York.

Elvis originally performed it in the 1956 movie Love Me Tender.

The song is credited to Presley and Vera Matson due to royalty issues,
but the lyric was written by Ken Darby (her husband). He also arranged
the Civil War tune. When asked why he credited his wife along with
Presley, Darby responded, "Because she didn't write it either." Darby
also wrote the other three songs in Love Me Tender and it has been said
that Elvis didn't like any of these songs, except the title tune.


Elvis Presley Recording

The song hit #1 on the Billboard charts the week ending November 3,
1956, remaining in the position for 5 weeks. It was also an achievement
as "Love Me Tender" succeeded another Presley single, "Hound Dog/Don't
Be Cruel" at #1. This occurrence marked two important events in
Billboard history. It was the first time an artist had occupied the Top
2 positions of the Hot 100, and more importantly, it was the first time
an artist had replaced themselves at #1.

[googlegroups2sucks]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060629-15.html

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 29, 2006

President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Exchange Toasts
State Dining Room
8:05 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. Prime Minister and distinguished guests, Laura and
I thank you for joining us tonight and we welcome you to the White
House. This room has hosted many honored guests and tonight it also
hosts a treasured friend.

Mr. Prime Minister, our strong friendship has grown out of the strong
alliance between our two nations. Japan and America share a common
belief in the power of freedom to bring hope to millions who have not
known it. And we share a common commitment to meet the challenges of
our time and lay the foundations of peace for generations to come.

In our meetings today you have once again demonstrated the qualities
of character that both the Japanese people and the American people
admire. You have an optimistic view of the world, you welcome hard work
and big challenges and you are determined that your great nation will
continue to make a positive contribution to our world.

Mr. Prime Minister, more than 25 years ago the White House welcomed
another distinguished visitor who shared much in common with you. Like
you, he had great hair. (Laughter.) Like you, he was known to sing in
public. (Laughter.) And like you, he won admirers in countries far from
home. That man was Elvis. (Laughter.) And Laura and I are looking
forward to joining you tomorrow in our visit to his home in Memphis.

But tonight, Mr. Prime Minister, it's my honor to offer a toast to you
and to our friends and allies, the people of Japan.

(A toast was offered.)

PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI: Mr. President, Mrs. Bush, distinguished guests.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for hosting such
a wonderful dinner tonight.

Actually, I believe -- I'm sorry, I made a mistake. Mr. President, it
was exactly five years ago, June 30, 2001, when I first met with you.
After our talks, the President and I played catch in the woods of Camp
David. Since then, based our heartfelt friendship, we have nurtured
this vital bilateral relationship and have joined together as close
allies to talk about a diverse set of challenges. Actually, I believe
it was thanks to that game of catch with the President, I was able to
feel confident when I stood on the pitcher's mound and threw out the
first pitch at Yankee Stadium in September 2004. (Laughter and
applause.) USA Today reported that it was -- and I quote -- "A near
perfect strike." (Laughter.)

The President often mentions in public that Japan and the United States
went from being enemies during World War II to become the closest of
allies and leading members of the community of free and democratic
nations. In the new year of 1946, only several months after the end of
war, then-Emperor Showa composed a Japanese traditional poem, which
reads: "Courageous pine, and during the snow that is piling up, color
unchanging, little people be like this." I can imagine the emperor
gazing at the pine tree in his palace and reading out this poem at a
time when our land was a (inaudible) and our people were depressed by
Japan's defeat. "The snow is heavily piling up, and almost all the
tree's leaves are either gone or have changed colors. However, this
pine stands firm, without losing its needles or changing its color." I
think the emperor wished our people to be like the pine when he wrote
this poem for encouraging the people in the most difficult of times.

Since then, the people of Japan are striving to fulfill this poem's
spirit by hard work and the discipline. At the same time, Japan will
never forget that it was also the generous support provided by the
United States after the war that contributed heavily to Japan's
remarkable post-war development. During the war, people in Japan were
taught to fear and hate the Americans, as if they were monsters. But
the Americans were right in front of us -- in fact, came with warm and
generous hearts. The Japanese people are still impressed with, they are
grateful for the generosity of the United States and the American
people.

In March 1865, just before the end of the Civil War, President Abraham
Lincoln spoke to his audience in his second inaugural address. "With
malice toward none, with charity for all ... let us strive on ... to
bind up the nation's wounds ... to do all which may achieve and cherish
a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." I
believe it was this American spirit that lifted the hearts of Japan's
people, made Japan's reconstruction possible and built a foundation for
the solid friendship between our two nations.

It is such an impressive thing that our two nations, who once fought
against each other now share common values and together, as close
friends and allies, are tackling of a wide variety of challenges around
the world.

Nine-eleven was an attack not solely against your country; it was a
challenge against all of us, the entire human race and all those who
respect human dignity and freedom. Terrorism and the proliferation of
WMDs threaten the basic fundamentals of our lives. I would like to pay
my sincerest respect to President Bush, who has been so steadfast and
determined in protecting freedom and democracy.

I sometimes see the image of the United States as Gary Cooper in my
favorite movie, "High Noon." (Laughter.) Marshal Cooper stood up alone
with courage and justice against four outlaw men. However, there is one
huge difference between that Marshal and the United States: The United
States is not alone when facing the evils that exist today. The United
States is always with its eyes on friends, and Japan stands by the
United States of America. (Applause.)

The President and I both recognize the importance of the Japan-U.S.
alliance as we, at the same time, cooperate with many other nations
around the world, as well as with the United Nations. Japan is
determined to further develop this cooperation with the United States
on a wide variety of issues, ranging from the fight against terrorism
to democratization, the reconstruction of Afghanistan and Iraq, to
alleviation of poverty, to natural disaster itself -- disaster relief.

Tomorrow the President and Mrs. Bush and I are going to visit Memphis,
Tennessee, home to Elvis Presley. When I was young, my exposure to
America was Presley -- which is a vivid memory of my youth. The first
English song I ever learned by heart was Presley's "I Want You, I Need
You, I Love You." (Laughter.)

Mr. President, Mrs. Bush, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to propose
a toast to the further enhancement of Japan-U.S. relations. In the
words of Elvis, "I want you, I need you, I love you." As those lyrics
suggest, I hope that our two nations, sharing fundamental values and
interests will continue to be essential to each other, will cooperate
for world peace and prosperity, and will further enrich our bilateral
relationship.

(A toast was offered.) (Applause.)

END 8:20 P.M. EDT



[ being one of my favorite elvis songs, i was going to place "help me
make it through the night" right after the george michael tune in the
jobs musical. alas, bob seger's "we've got tonight" is another fave
and the "why don't you stay" gag at the end was too good to pass up. i
hope all elvis fans will forgive the omission and allow me to make
amends now... ]



Help Me Make it Through The Night
Words & Music: Kris Kristofferson
Elvis Presley

Take the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose, let it fall
Lay it soft against my skin
Like the shadows on the wall

Come and lay down by my side
Till the early morning light
All I'm taking is your time
Help me make it through the night

I don't care what's right or wrong
I won't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
'Cause tonight I need a friend

Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night

I don't care what's right or wrong
I won't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
'Cause tonight I need a friend

Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night

I don't want to be alone
Help me make it through the night


(Recorded: 1971/05/17, first released on Elvis Now)

[googlegroups2sucks]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060630-6.html

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 30, 2006

President Bush Visits Graceland with Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi

Graceland
Memphis, Tennessee
11:44 P.M. CDT

PRESIDENT BUSH: First of all, the Prime Minister and I would like to
thank Priscilla and Lisa for their gracious hospitality. And we thank
the Graceland staff, as well, for arranging this unusual experience.
First of all, my presence here shows it's never too late to come to
Graceland. Laura and I are -- we've known Elvis Presley since we were
growing up. He's obviously a major part of our music history. He had an
international reputation. His reputation was so strong that he
attracted the attention of the now Prime Minister of Japan.

I was hoping the Prime Minister would want to come to Graceland. I
knew he loved Elvis -- I didn't realize how much he loved Elvis. He not
only knows Elvis' history, he can sing a pretty good Elvis song. This
visit here shows that not only am I personally fond of the Prime
Minister, but the ties between our peoples are very strong, as well.

And so, again, to the Presleys, thank you all. And Mr. Prime Minister,
glad you joined us. Want to say a few comments?

PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI: It's like a dream. I never expected President
come with me to visit Graceland. There's Elvis song: To Dream
Impossible. (Singing Elvis song.) (Laughter.) My dream came true. Thank
you very much for -- thank you. Thank you very much for treating me
nice, the Elvis song. (Singing Elvis song.) Thank you.



[ don quixote. it was around this time, july 9, 2005, i first
placed "impossible dream", hoping it reached koizumi after the g8 at
gleneagles and the london bombings. what a year it's been. ]



The Impossible Dream
Lyrics by Joe Darion
Music by Mitch Leigh

To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go.

To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star.

This is my quest,
To follow that star --
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far.

To fight for the right
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause.

And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
when I'm laid to my rest.

And the world will be better for this,
that one man scorned and covered with scars
still strove with his last ounce of courage.
To reach the unreachable star.

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go.

To right the unrightable wrong
To be better far than you are
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star.

This is my quest, to follow that star,
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To be willing to give when there's no more to give
To be willing to die so that honor and justice may live

And I know if I'll only be true to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star.