November 1998

  • There was a provincial election in Quebec today. The separatist Parti Quebecois won, prolonging the doubt over Canada's future. (-o-)~~~* <== J-chat face meaning "Yawn" (as in, "Here we go again!"*) I am out of the country, but like a good citizen I did some obligatory handwringing while listening to the political analyses of pundits on CBC Radio One et SRC Radio en RealAudio over the Internet. [UNITY DEBATE - BACKGROUND INFO]

    * Learn some more J-chat faces from Ali-chan's Web
    (30 November 98)

  • There's an update at the Nikkei Nexus.
    (26 November 98)

  • Happy (American) Thanksgiving! I have been asked more than once by people here whether Thankgiving is celebrated in Canada! (The answer is "Yes", but it is in October.)
    (26 November 98)

  • Satsuma, USA
    Satsuma mandarin oranges have arrived in the grocery store, a sure sign that the holiday season is not far off. Thirty years ago, most mandarin oranges sold here were imported from Japan in boxes with "mikan" printed on the side. Then, as the yen rose, it seemed that stores turned to domestic producers like California. But Satsuma history on this continent goes back further than that: Satsuma trees were introduced to America in 1878 -- they were among the first "immigrants" from Japan! Alabama, not known today as an orange-producing state, has a town called Satsuma, evidence of a once-thriving industry that may be showing signs of revival. There are also places called Satsuma in Florida and Texas. I wonder how many Japanese people live there?

    Satsuma Peninsula, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan
    Citrus: Types and History
    A Twist of Citrus: A Fruit-lover's Guide
    Botany Online Encyclopedia of Plants and Plant Dictionary
    (25 November 98)

  • The Runker Room joins The Lefty Ring today!
    (24 November 98)

  • The Canadian Football League has zero profile in America*, so I had to consult the Internet to find out about this year's Grey Cup Game, the match that decides Canada's professional football championship. The website of The Sports Network, one of Canada's cable TV specialty sports channels, has a nice summary of the action. The Calgary Stampeders came close to losing yet again, but got a late field goal and defeated the Steeltown Tabbies (Hamilton Tiger-cats) 26-24. West Is Best! There is much rejoicing in the City of Cows.

    * American commentators have said that former CFL star quarterback Doug Flutie was "out of professional football for 9 years" and "came out of nowhere" (i.e. Canada) to enjoy success with the National Football League's Buffalo Bills this season.
    (22 November 98)

  • Le Notte di Cabiria (The Nights of Cabiria) (Italia 1957; Dir: Federico Fellini) *****
    Cabiria Cicarelli ( Giulietta Masina), an aging working girl in postwar Roma, is doing all right for herself: she has many friends and owns her own house. But she wants to change her life, quit her job and get married. So strong is her determination that when she meets a miracle Mr. Right, she is blind to all his danger signs until it is almost too late. Masina (Fellini's wife) creates a memorable character with spunk, innocence and resilience. This classic film, recently restored, was produced by Dino Di Laurentiis. I used to think of him as the man who brought us the 1970s remake of King Kong, but he also financed many great cinematic works in Italy before coming to America.
    (21 November 98)

  • Having had a taste of off-piste skiing in Chamonix FR last winter, tonight I went to learn more about backcountry skiing at a slide show arranged by a local ski store. The program featured three presenters, including David Waag, author of Oregon Descents, a new backcountry guidebook to the southern Cascade Mountains. The audience of about 100 mostly 30- to 40-year-olds was enthralled by breathtaking images of snow and rock as well as entertaining stories about the eccentric individuals this sport often attracts. As ski resort ticket prices rise and lift lines lengthen, the appeal of backcountry skiing grows. The untracked snow and pristine vistas can come at a heavy price: Last week an avalanche claimed the life of former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau's youngest son Michel, only 23 years old, while he was backcountry skiing [STORY]. Proceeds from tonight's show went to support the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center, providers of information vital to all who venture into the Oregon backcountry.

    Couloir Magazine's Backcountry Links
    Backcountry Magazine Online
    Portland Mountain Rescue
    (19 November 98)

  • Rashomon (Japan 1950; Dir: Akira Kurosawa) *****
    The Northwest Film Center paid tribute to the late master of Japanese cinema with a special screening of his first international hit. The killing of a samurai in the forest prompts an investigation that produces four versions of the events, those of the Bandit (played with wild animal vigor by the late Toshiro Mifune), the dead samurai (through a medium), his wife (Machiko Kyo) and the Woodcutter who found the body. Everyone's "truth" serves their own purpose. Rashomon was an inspiration for the recent Denzel Washington / Meg Ryan movie Courage Under Fire.

    The Films of Akira Kurosawa: The Emperor of Japanese Film
    Akira Kurosawa: Something Like A Tribute
    (His 1982 autobiography was titled Something Like An Autobiography)
    (15 November 98)

  • The Blue Dahlia (USA 1946; Dir: George Marshall) ****
    Classic film noir! The hard-partying mistress of a Los Angeles nightclub owner is found murdered. Whodunnit? Her estranged husband ( Alan Ladd)? His shell-shocked wartime buddy? The nightclub owner? His jealous wife ( Veronica Lake)? Raymond Chandler's story, based in part on an actual unsolved homicide, keeps us guessing until the end, thanks to a last-minute rewrite. "All dames are trouble eventually."

    Soundclip from The Blue Dahlia
    Film Noir Definition, memorable lines, plot summaries, images
    Universal Studio's Film Noir Marquee
    (14 November 98)

  • Happiness (USA 1998; Dir: Todd Solondz) ***1/2
    A thin veneer of normalcy barely hides the desperately UN-happy lives of some residents of New Jersey. At the centre of the story are three 30-something sisters: Joy (Jane Adams) a mousy, insecure would-be songwriter whose life is a series of bad days and Mr. Wrongs; Helen (Lara Flynn Boyle), a beautiful author who can't stand her own success; Trish (Cynthia Stevenson), the perky wife of a psychiatrist (Dylan Baker), whose seemingly perfect suburban world is about to be overturned by her husband's dark secret. Their anhedonic father (Ben Gazarra; "I don't feel guilty; I don't feel anything.") wants to separate from their mother (Louise Lasser; "Why didn't you tell me twenty years ago? Now I'll have to get another facelift!") . Helen's apartment building neighbours include a lonely computer nerd who gratifies himself by making obscene phone calls, and a fat woman who is happy just eating and watching TV, until one day she asks the widowed doorman to help carry her groceries. Cameos by Jon Lovitz as one of Joy's forgettable boyfriends and former Trump ornament Marla Maples as the mother's real estate agent ("Divorce was the best thing that happened to me."). R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe sings the title song. Wickedly funny, at turns shocking, and ultimately disturbing. Perversion could be just around any corner!

    "It Could Happen To You" Globe and Mail article by John Barber
    (13 November 98)

  • I'm just back from the 1998 AMIA Annual Meeting in Orlando FL. This was an interesting gathering of professionals from around the world who work in all aspects of health informatics. The theme this year was the shift taking place in the use of medical computing, from a tool that supports hospital billing departments to a networked utility that, thanks to technological advances, can contribute to the betterment of patient care.

    More hospitals and HMOs are realizing that modern information management is a prerequisite for their very survival in today's health care environment, so interest in this conference has been growing each year. Still, the organizers underestimated the number of attendees, and many of the meeting rooms were full to overflowing. Hot topics included data entry, electronic patient records, and data warehousing. My schedule was very busy -- there was no time to get a tan or visit Mickey Mouse!

    At lunchtime on Saturday, we were told to listen for a sonic boom when the space shuttle Discovery slowed down for landing at nearby Cocoa Beach, carrying septuagenarian John Glenn and Japanese astronaut Chiaki Mukai.

    National Space Development Agency of Japan
    (09 November 98)

  • Runker Room Turns Terrible Two
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY / Otanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu -- The Runker Room is two years old today! Thank you to those who have visited this website over the past twelve eventful months. Hopefully more exciting things lie ahead! As always, your comments, suggestions and encouragement are welcome.
    (06 November 98)

  • I've added some links to the Morgue page.
    (03 November 98)

  • A Merry War (Great Britain 1998; Dir: Robert Bierman) ***
    Adapted from Keep The Aspidistra Flying by George Orwell. (In Britain, the film retains the novel's title. It was felt that North American audiences would not know what "Aspidistra" means, much less be able to say it.*). Emboldened by some early success, an aspiring poet (Richard E. Grant of Withnail and I) quits his well-paying but humdrum job as an advertising copy writer to devote himself to his art. The film charts his willful descent into poverty. His steadfast girlfriend (Helena Bonham Carter of almost any Merchant / Ivory production you care to mention), his spinster sister and his generously tolerant publisher stand by him through it all. In the end, he learns that his responsibility to those around him means compromising somewhat his pretentious and unrealistic romantic ideals. Great acting, some witty lines; 1930s London is faithfully re-created. This one has "Date Movie" written all over it.

    * - Aspidistras are hardy if dull ornamental plants popular in British middle class households. "Keep the Red Flag Flying" is a slogan of the Communist Party. "It's ironic!"
    (01 November 98)

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