Ages since my last post, to busy doing other things.

Drama junkie

There's a train crash of a rfc going on at Commons at the moment, at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Requests_for_comment/offsite_discussions , and its bringing the worst of the drama junkie in me, really I should stay away, for my own sanity I should ignore it  and catalog some unidentified files. The thing it makes me feel guilty for letting thing get as bad as they have, while I've been in my own corner enjoying myself these two mutually antagonistic cliques have really gotten out of hand. Okay so there is not much one admin can do, I really want pour a bucket of water over the two personalities on both sides who seemed to be fanning the flames, but they all seem to be enjoying themselves.

Hong Chief Executive elections

The Hong Chief Executive elections will come to a head this Sunday, the contestants remind me of a fox, a wolf and a labrador. I'm rooting for the labrador myself, but  don't think he stands much of a chance. For a long time the fox supported by all his rich friends was the front runner but seems to have shot himself in the paw with his attack against the wolf. The wolf is playing at being a lovable puppy, but what he really wants is a bigger piece of the pie for himself and his pack, a pie that up until now has been the preserve of the fox and hs friends.

Virtual Rock Block

Listening to Planet Rock's rock block segment, and  someone out there has similar tastes to me-just heard Whitesnake's "Here I go again", Alice Cooper's "Poison" and Meatloaf's "Bat out of Hell", songs I would be tempted to put on my own Rock block list. I've been tempted to register with Planet Rock, but really am loathe nowadays to share my personal information so any Rock Block of mine must be a paper one, well here I go:-

• Start:-Focus-Sylvia (3:32)
• Journey-Wheel in the Sky (4:12)
• The Eagles-Take it easy (3:30)
• Heart-Alone (3:39)
• Guns and Roses-November Rain (8:57)
• Fleetwood Mac-Go your own way (3.36)
• Patti Smyth and Don Henley-Sometimes love just ain't enough (4:28)
• Aerosmith-I don't want to miss a Thing (4:56)
• Led Zeppelin-The Battle of Evermore (5:52)
• Queen-Who wants to live Forever (5:15)
• End:-Mark Knopfler-Going Home (4:55)

Not quite an hour, but I guess they need to have some room for adverts. Reminds me a lot of what I used to do when making mix tapes, a bit of a narrative in my choice I think. Seeing a rock opera in my head. ( Carefree knight errant meets dutiful sorceress, alone because of her responsibilities, they fall in love but the realtionship is tempetuous and they split. The big bad turns up and they unite to defeat it, but she is slain, and he alone must wander again less carefree but with the memory of what he had in his heart.)

A bit too soft rock for the tastes of some I guess.

Edit:made a playlist on youtube  http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFC601E919D67A089&feature=mh_lolz needs some tweaking, need a twelfth song for a start, and some of the songs don't really mesh.

backward translations

Haven't thougt to do a backwards translation until today, this is how the original looks.

年少無知

林：年少多好　頑劣多好
不甘安於封建制度裡迷信上街真理會達到
旗幟高舉　群眾聲討
不惜犧牲一切去上訴權貴的想法太俗套
只可惜生活是一堆挫折　只可惜生命是必須妥協
陳：年少多好　貧困多好
一蚊積蓄足以快樂到廉價結他抒發我暴躁
財富得到　年歲不保
捐輸不必講究有回報人世間總會有異數
只可惜生活是一聲發洩只可惜生命是一聲抱歉怕追討
合：如果命運能選擇十字街口你我踏出的每步更瀟灑
如果活著能坦白舊日所相信價值不必接受時代的糟蹋
黃：年少多好　朋友多好
一番爭執不會有被告遊戲競爭不會記入腦
年歲增長　無法修補
青春的詩總會老　時間多恐怖
合：如果命運能選擇十字街口你我踏出的每步無用困惑
如果活著能坦白舊日所相信價值今天發現還未老
如果命運能演習現實中不致接納一生每步殘酷抉擇
留守過去的想法我會否好像這樣生於世上無目的鞭撻

and the backward translation of my English version using google translate.

年幼無知

（BL）青年是不錯的，任性好，
不願意遵守這個封建，
相信迷信，走上街頭，真理可以實現，
群眾聲討一個標誌，高高舉起，
願意放棄所有上訴，
精英根深蒂固的思想。

唉生活是一堆挫折，
唉，在生活，我們必須妥協。

（MC）青年是好的，貧困是好的，
快樂只是一個儲蓄的美元，
便宜的吉他，減輕我的脾氣，
但隨著財富實現青年飛行，
在給有需要沒有想到回報，
在這個世界上一定有差異。

唉生活是無奈的嘆息聲，
唉生活作出道歉的聲音。

（合）擔心受到迫害。

如果可以選擇的命運呢？
在每個十字路口，你和我可以採取的每一步，沒有照顧？
什麼如果在生活中，我們可以更加開放？
昨天的原則，不接受需要時間的蹂躪？

（KW）青年是好的，朋友們好，
參數沒有必要為被告，
無需記憶的遊戲規則，
正如我們老去，
有沒有辦法來修補老化的青春信念，
時間就是這樣一個恐怖的。

（合）如果可以選擇的命運，
然後在每個十字路口，你和我可以毫不猶豫的每一步，
如果生活是更加開放，
然後，它會發現，昨天的原則並沒有變老。
如果命運可以排練，
在現實中就沒有必要，
接受殘酷了一輩子的決定。

如果過去的信念已舉行了對嗎？
我還是會住這樣的遺憾？

with Bing translator

年幼無知

(BL)青春是好，動是好的

不願意遵守此封建主義、

相信迷信的走到街上真相可以實現，

群眾譴責高，提出一個標誌

願意放棄上訴，所有

精英的根深蒂固的思維。

唉生活就是一堆的挫折，

唉在生活中我們必須妥協。

（MC）青春是好，貧窮是好的

只是在儲蓄，港元與快樂

廉價的吉他減輕了我的脾氣

但與財富達到的青年已飛，

在給予不必有思想的回報，

在這個世界必須有差異。

唉生活是失望的歎息的聲音

唉，生活是正在作出道歉的聲音。

(一起)害怕遭到迫害。

如果可以選擇的命運嗎？

在每個穿過馬路你和我可以帶不在意的每一步？

什麼打開如果在生活中，我們可能是更好？

往昔原則不需要接受時間的摧殘？

（千瓦）青年是很好，朋友也很好，

參數有被告，無需

無需記住的遊戲，規則

隨著我們變老，

沒有任何方法修補老化信仰的青年，

時間是這種恐怖的。

(一起)如果命運是可以選擇的

然後在每個穿過馬路你和我可以帶毫不猶豫，每一步

如果更多的生活是打開，

然後會發現昨日的原則不催人老。

如果命運可能事先練過，

在現實中會沒有必要，

接受一輩子的決定的殘酷。

如果到上舉行了以往的信念嗎？

還我住這種遺憾嗎？

Babelfish

年輕的無知

(BL)青年時期是好，任性是好，

不願遵守與這個封建制度， 

相信通过上街游行真相可以達到的迷信，

大量譴責旗子被上升的上流， 

願放弃所有呼籲， 

根深蒂固想法精華。

呀生活是堆挫折，

呀在居住我們必须妥協。 

(MC)青年時期是好，貧窮是好， 

满意對一美元在儲款， 

一把便宜的吉他緩和我的脾氣，

但是與財富達到的青年時期飛行， 

在給那裡不需要被重视回歸， 

在這個世界必须有區別。 

呀生活是失望嘆氣的聲音，

 呀居住是被做的道歉的聲音。 

(一起)恐懼迫害。 

命運若能被選擇？ 

那在每發怒路您和我可能采取每個步骤，不用關心？ 

在居住我們若可能是開放的更多？ 

那昨天原則不需要接受时间破壞？ 

(KW)青年時期是好，朋友是好， 

論據沒有需要對于指責， 

沒有需要記住比赛规則，

我們变老， 沒有办法修理青年時期老化信仰，

时间是這樣恐怖。

(一起)，如果命運可能被選擇，

然后在每發怒路您和我能毫不猶豫地采取每個步骤， 

如果居住是更多打開， 然后將發現yesterday' s原則未变老。 

如果命運可能被排練， 

实际上沒有需要， 接受終身的慘暴決定。

如果過去信仰堅持？ 

仍然會我居住以這樣遺憾？

thankfully not totally unrecognisable

Tinkering

 Haven't been able to avoid tinkering with my previous translation. Posted that one at asia fanatics http://asianfanatics.net/forum/topic/759892-subsong-for-when-heaven-burns/page__pid__7040875__st__0&#entry7040875 so I want to avoid changing again my posted version. A slightly different translation.

(BL)Youth is good, unruliness is good,
Not willing to abide with feudalism,
Believing in the superstition that by taking to the streets the truth can be achieved,
The masses denounce a flag raised high,
Willing to give up all to appeal against,
The status-quo thinking of the elites.

Alas life is a pile of setbacks,
Alas in living we must compromise.

(MC)Youth is good, poverty is good,
Happy with just a dollar in savings,
A cheap guitar eases my temper,
But with wealth achieved youth has flown,
In giving there need not be thought of return,
In this world there must be differences.

Alas life is the sound of the sighs of  frustration,
Alas living is the sound of apologies being made.

(Together)Fear persecution.

What if fates could be chosen?
That at each cross roads you and I could take each step without a care?
What if in living we could be more open?
That yesterdays principles need not accept the ravages of time?

(KW)Youth is good, friends are good,
Arguments have no need for an accused,
No need to memorise the rules of the game,
As we grow old,
There is no way to mend the aging beliefs of youth.

(Together)Time is such a horror.

If fate could be chosen,
Then at each cross roads you and I could take each step without hesitation,
If living was more open,
Then it would be discovered that yesterday's principles still hold true.
If fate could be rehearsed,
In reality there would be no need,
To accept the cruelty of a lifetime of decisions.

If  past beliefs had been held on to?
Would I still live with such regret?

                                             **************

Toying with  transposing three lines of Moses' verse to read

In giving there need not be thought of return,
In this world there must be differences.
But with wealth achieved youth has flown.

When Heaven Burns ending song English Translation

Been wanting to do this for ages, an English translation of the song 年少無知 (Youthful Ignorance) by Paul Wong, used as an ending theme for TVB's When Heaven Burns. Trying to be lyrical and poetic whilst remaining true to the idioms and feeling of the Chinese without being a word for word semantic translation. The more I work on this translation, the more I see what the fuss has been about that When Heaven Burns is about the Tiannamen Square protests.

 (BL)Youth is good, unruliness is good,
Not willing to abide with this feudalism,
Believing in the superstition that by taking to the streets the truth can be achieved,
The masses denounce a flag raised high,
Willing to give up all to appeal,
The ingrained. thinking of the elites.

Alas life is a pile of setbacks,
Alas in living we must compromise.

(MC)Youth is good, poverty is good,
Happy with just a dollar in savings,
A cheap guitar eases my temper,
But with wealth achieved youth has flown,
In giving there need not be thought of return,
In this world there must be differences.

Alas life is the sound of the sighs of  frustration,
Alas living is the sound of apologies being made.

(Together)Fear persecution.

What if fates could be chosen?
That at each cross roads you and I could take each step without a care?
What if in living we could be more open?
That yesterdays principles need not accept the ravages of time?

(KW)Youth is good, friends are good,
Arguments have no need for an accused,
No need to memorise the rules of the game,
As we grow old,
There is no way to mend the aging beliefs of youth,
Time is such a horror.

(Together)If fate could be chosen,
Then at each cross roads you and I could take each step without hesitation,
If living was more open,
Then it would be discovered that yesterday's principles have not grown old.
If fate could be rehearsed,
In realty there would be no need,
To accept the cruelty of a lifetime of decisions.

If  past beliefs had been held on to?
Would I  still live with such regret?