Not an utter failure...

So, this morning I managed to get through the second listen-through of lesson 50 of my Japanese courses. Contrary to the advice given in the course, I've been supplementing my understanding with other materials, such as a book on how to read Japanese and Rita Lampkin's grammar text. Both have been indispensible. I've learned the Kanji for 夢 (ゆめ), which means "dream", and the verb こらす, meaning "chastise."

And, as is quite obvious, I've become a Mai HiME fan. Since I can't wait until Friday for the translation, I decided to download the Monday night raws and see what I could understand.

Not a damn lot. A line here, a phrase there. Better than i was doing three months ago, but still not nearly fast enough to understand what was going on. It was easier in the scenes where Mikoto and Natsuki were arguing about Mikoto eating too much, and when Mai and Takumi were talking about his most recent hospitalization for his weak heart, but during the combat scenes I was completely lost.

But, it was nice to know that it's no longer an undifferentiated stream of syllables-- verb structures, adjectival forms, and common phrases are becoming much more familiar as I go on. Here's to hoping that I'll pick up ever more.

One-handed typing: the doom of mankind!

Justice Antonin Scalia, in his dissent from the ruling Lawrence v. Texas, said that the court's overturning its own opinion in Bowers v. Hardwick, "calls into question state laws against masturbation."

Remember, this isn't just Scalia spouting off here. His version of the constitution may be weird, but it's consistent in the notion that some things, such as sexuality and privacy, which aren't explicit in the constitution, are not to be dealt with by the courts but must be deferred to the states. On the other hand, religion, which is explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, is the province of the Court, which has the final say and sometimes defers to "the verdict of history." Anyone who remembers the Judge Bork case can remember his dissenting opinion in Griswold v. Connecticut.

As if that weren't bad enough, the religious right is now interested in "strengthening marriage," which include "addressing deliberate childlessness is marriage."

Isn't that special?

What have we wrought?

Kouryou-chan and Yamaarashi-chan are both running about the house, and I just overheard Kouryou-chan talking about her stuffed animals. Usually, they're "my babies," or "my friends," or "my audience," or "my students," depending upon the game she's playing.

Today, they're "my minions."