Thomas & Friends

The Railway Museum (鉄道博物館, Tetsudō Hakubutsukan) at Saitama City of Japan was officially opened on 14^th October 2007 to commemorate the twenty years of railway-service excellence of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It has also replaced the old Transportation Museum at Kanda, Tokyo, which was closed in May 2006.

I visited the Railway Museum on 31^st May 2008, starting my journey at Ōmiya JR train station. The Railway museum is about 1.2 km away, so I decided to walk there. Another alternative is to take a local train to the station next to the Museum.

In the courtyard near the main entrance is a D51 steam locomotive display. This train has got a really huge smoke box!

The entrance fee was ¥1,000 and all I have got from that was a swipe card to enter the Museum.

Before entering the main exhibition area, I roamed around to look at the exhibits of parts of the locomotives.

Just after the main gate that one has to swipe the card to enter the Museum, there is a sculpture based on the theme of train masters.

The Railway Museum has 36 real railway cars on display on the ground floor. There is even a Class 9850 Mallet Steam Locomotive (1913) with cut outs on display, cool! I didn't know that there are so many steel tubes inside the steam barrel.

This is the Kaitakushi Passenger Carriage (Class Kotoku 5010) built by the Americans in 1880. It was a special passenger car for high-ranking officials of Hokkaido Kaitakushi (Hokkaido Colonization Office) riding Horonai Railway in Hokkaido. The interior can only be described by one word, luxurious!

Some of the railway cars are open to public for viewing only.

The main exhibit at the Railway Museum is the Class C57 Steam Locomotive manufactured in 1940. It used to service the Muroran Main Line between Iwamizawa and Muroran in Hokkaido to haul regular passenger trains.

This is the Class ED75 Electric Locomotive, a standardized AC electric locomotive which is cold and snow resistant. It was built in 1975 by Toshiba.

This is the Class Kuha 481 Electric Rail Car (Series 485 Electric Multiple Unit), the first AC/DC limited express EMU for through services between DC and AC electrified sections. It was built in 1965.

This is the Class Kuha 181 Electric Rail Car (Series 181 Electric Multiple Unit) which was also built in 1965. It has a maximum speed of 110 km/h.

Towards one corner of the exhibition hall is the Class C51 Steam Locomotive, the first Japan-built (1920) high-speed passenger locomotive used for express services on most important railway lines.

At the other corner is the Series 200 Shinkansen train, the first generation of Tohoku and Joetsu Shinkansen, built in 1982.

After seeing all the real railway cars, I proceeded to the first floor which offers a good overview of the exhibits on the ground floor.

Most of the exhibits on the first floors are model trains, including a model of the Series 0f Shinkansen.

The model trains that caught most of my attention were these very old and classic railway cars.

There is also an HO-gauge Railway Model Diorama on the first floor, the largest of its kind in Japan. It simulates the operation of the JR Tokyo Station. It was a lot of fun watching those model trains moving around, even for a grown up like me!

I spent almost 5 hours in the Railway Museum. The visit was actually more than seeing the real railway cars and train models. There are many simulators for visitors to experience railway operation.

Before I left the Museum, I exchanged the swipe card with a souvenir card to take home with me.

The Inuyasha

Kikyo is Miko (Shinto clergy women) of great spiritual strength is able to overcome the many invisible elements and to cleanse evil. Because he trusted the ability to hold the first shikon no, the ball that can give strength to anyone who uses, to maintain purity and are protected from crime.

In between the killing perjuangannya invisible against the evil that tries, Kikyo also sorang hanyo (half invisible man) named Inuyasha who want to seize shikon no first because you want to use the crystal ball becomes invisible to sterling. Kikyo look good in a hanyo coltish this, so never have intention to injure each other. Meeting for the meeting to make them know each other and understand each others situation, and to grow in the love between them. Kikyo Inuyasha was on offer so that no first use shikon to change into a human, and they live together as a human being, because without shikon no Kikyo akan first became a human being not have the power to fight big invisible. Inuyasha did not suspect that high-minded girl that was having such strong feelings on it, try to consider the offer ... until finally receiving.

On the other hand, a time Kikyo help of a hijacker's body burned and paralyzed so that can only lie in a cave. Every day Kikyo Kaede accompanied adiknya still always the small, to feed the men and called Onigumo (spider demons) that, unexpectedly turns up to the feeling you want to have in the hearts Onigumo.
Susu dibalas like water with the water tuba, Onigumo the body in order to get on the invisible power and obsession have Kikyo. Because the strength of hundreds of invisible evil menguasainya, Onigumo as if born again become invisible and very strong pawky called Naraku.
Right on the day of Inuyasha and Kikyo shikon no first use to change into human Inuyasha, who appear in front of Kikyo is' Inuyasha 'is without doubt the attack and seize cakarnya no shikon first of Kikyo. Kikyo was very angry and disappointed, because he was so confident in Inuyasha. Inuyasha until after the riot in the temple and destroy the village Kikyo, Inuyasha seal it with panahnya. With the strength of the remaining injured as severe enough, ask Kikyo Kaede to burn the body that brings shikon first so that no crystal ball that disappeared from this earth along with his death ...

50 years later, no shikon first appear again together with the presence Kagome's future is the reincarnation of Kikyo. Inuyasha segelnya has also been released by Kagome who have spiritual strength equivalent to Kikyo.
One day, showing a witch named urasue women who want to make a doll in the form telling Kikyo. He stole the bones and grave soil Kikyo who are not far from the temple that is now kept Kikyo Kaede. With a little soul who was taken from Kagome, Urasue successfully raised again Kikyo Miko renowned as a strong. But instead of a doll that can be controlled for Urasue, shortly after the rise Kikyo immediately destroy the witch. Then Kikyo attacks Inuyasha wanted, but because the strength is not enough to fight then he fled.
Kikyo also serve as a zombie with the invisible force called shinidamachu collect the soul of a new young girl died, and he still save revenge on Inuyasha.

"If I am still alive ... Maybe I will change it"

After hearing a description of Kaede, Kikyo understand that he and Inuyasha have diadu-sheep. He then try to pursue Naraku, although it still did not want to join with Inuyasha and his friends who travel together. Inuyasha Kikyo view has been changed, highlight the eyes, which was not trust anyone, now has to find a place to share. Hanyo which is always a rough and have no friend, it is preferred and can be good. One thing that you want to do on the first Inuyasha, that has been done by Kagome ...

Weapon

Kikyo is very skillful use bow and arrow to defeat the enemy. Kagome still a beginner in the use of these weapons can not compete. Kikyo but also because only recessive alone. At such time, Inuyasha always come to help him because it did not want to lose for the second time Kikyo. And at that time Kagome also have to realize its position as the second.

End Struggle Kikyo

Initially, Kikyo is still predominantly a revenge so no respect human life. He even had time to take a chance trying to kill Kagome. But little by little he is affected by virtue Kagome and the others, even to the nature of the original return. Kikyo sacrificing himself to defeat Naraku, but was unsuccessful. Previously, Kikyo is destroyed because of toxic Naraku but he still appeared to survive and be successful by Kagome. But for the second time, Kagome can not afford to save Kikyo. Not only Inuyasha, but Kagome and the others also feel lost because at the end of her Kikyo has become part of them.
And at the time kepergiannya, just Inuyasha Kikyo to accompany the body of the girl who lost a light into the night swallowed.

Questioning One in Four: Part 1

Link - Part 2, Part 3

One in four people suffer mental illness at some point in their lives.

Everyone knows that. But where does that number come from? The answer may surprise. Join me, if you will, as I explore the biography of a statistic.

"1 in 4" is ubiquitous, at least in the English-speaking world. I can't think of another such number which is better known, except perhaps the fact that 1 in 3 people will suffer from cancer.

Anyone who's used the London Underground or watched British TV recently will be familiar with the Time to Change anti-stigma advertising drive. This £18 million campaign, run by the charities Mind and Rethink, is awash with "1 in 4"s, left right and center. Mind have it on their About Us page. The BBC have it on their main mental health page. There's even a One in Four magazine. And so on.

In the next post, I'll be examining the truth behind this statistic, but first, a little history. Google archive reveals that 1 in 4 is a child of the 1990s. English-language news media from the late 1980s contain the statement that in 1 in 4 (American) families will have a member who suffers from mental illness, but this is not the same thing.

As far as I can tell, "1 in 4 people" entered the popular mind in the early to mid 1990s. By 1995, it was common and being referred to as an accepted fact. See for example this snap-shot of the newspapers in 1995 under the search term ("one in four" + mental), showing that the idea had taken root by this point. Whereas the equivalent from 1992 is quite different.

Interestingly, the early 1990s also feature repeated references to 1 in 4 (Americans) suffering from mental illness in any given year; this statistic, however, gradually fades from view as the decade goes on. By 2000, 1 in 4 appears more often than ever, but now it refers almost mostly to lifetime prevalence.

These graphs show the number of Google archive hits from 1950 to 2008. I had hoped that this would illustrate my argument nicely, but sadly, the picture isn't all that clear. Here it is anyway - the top graph shows the increase in ("1 in 4" + mental) hits. The second shows, by way of comparison, the number of hits for just ("mental health"), which is much more level. That's nice. But the bottom graphs shows that ("1 in 8" + mental) also becomes more popular over about the same time-frame, which is a bit confusing, as 1 in 8 is not a number especially linked to mental health.

But - where did 1 in 4 come from? When I set out to write this post, I thought it would be fairly easy to find out, but having done a lot of digging, I genuinely don't know.

My first guess was that it must have been the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS). The NCS was an ambitious attempt to measure the prevalence of mental disorders in a representative sample of the U.S. population, masterminded by Harvard Prof. Ronald C. Kessler. Data collection took place between 1990 - 1992 and the results started to be published in 1993 - just about the time when 1 in 4 started to appear in the media.

But in fact the headline finding from the NCS, as published in 1994, was that the lifetime prevalence of mental disorders was nearly 50%! That's 1 in 2 (sic). The proportion estimated to suffer from a disorder in any given year was almost 1 in 3. But no sign of 1 in 4.

Meanwhile, in Britain, 1993 also saw the first Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, a similar enterprise. (Attentive Neuroskeptic fans will recall that this was the survey that the Mental Health Foundation recently distorted to make it look like rates of anxiety disorders are rising). Could this be the source? No, the headline number here was 1 in 6, which referred to mental illness in the past week, not over the lifetime.

Going further back, the Epidemiological Catchment Area (ECA) project, the first large-scale psychiatric epidemiology study, happened in the early 80's. The ECA famously concluded that 1 in 3 Americans suffer at least one mental illness over the lifetime, and 1 in 5 do in any given six month period! 3, 5 - but still not 4.


The World Health Organization quoted 1 in 4 lifetime in 2001, to much media fanfare, and I have seen the WHO given as a source for the figure. But where did they get it from? Well, good question.

Their report, New Understanding New Hope: The World Health Report 2001, notes that according to the WHO's own data, 450 million people worldwide currently suffer from a "neuropsychiatric conditions". With 6 billion people on Earth that's less than 1 in 12 (and that includes Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, etc.) And that's at any one time, not over the whole lifetime.

The report then quotes at least 1 in 4 as a lifetime prevalence (on page 23). Finally! But this is not based on WHO data. Instead, they cite three references: Regier et al. 1988; Wells et al. 1989; and Almeida-Filho et al. 1997. Let's check these references.

The first refers to an Epidemiological Catchment Area study of 12 month prevalence. Not lifetime. The ECA, as we've previously seen, gave a lifetime estimate of 1 in 3. The 12 month estimate is 15.4%, or 1 in 6. No 1 in 4 to be found here. The second refers to a 1989 paper from Christchurch, New Zealand. It reported a lifetime prevalence of 65.8% (sic) for any mental disorder. 2 in 3. For the "main" diagnoses, i.e. excluding most anxiety disorders, it was 36.6%. 1 in 3. The closest I could find to 1 in 4 in this study was 22.9% for main disorders, also excluding substance abuse disorders. 1 in 4, 1 in 3, or 2 in 3 - take your pick. The last reference is to a Brazilian study finding lifetime prevalence rates from 31.0% to 50.5% in three cities.

So, in 2001, the WHO quoted 1 in 4, but their only references, if taken seriously, put the lifetime prevalence is more like 1 in 2. So we still don't know where 1 in 4 comes from.

Recently, the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), another Kessler project, claimed a lifetime prevalence of any disorder in Americans of 50.8%. But the proportion suffering from a disorder in any one year was estimated at about one in four. So that's 1 in 4 at last, but that number appeared only appeared in 2005 - far too late to explain the origin of the meme. (And it was yearly, not lifetime, but you can see how people might have misinterpreted it.)

So, I give up. I don't believe there is a single source for 1 in 4. If anyone thinks they know where I've gone wrong, please let me know. But as far as I can see, 1 in 4 lifetime represents a kind of informal average of all of the studies I've discussed. It's a number that sticks in people's minds because it's high enough to capture the sense that "they're very common" while not being so high as to make people think "that's ridiculous" (as most of the actual estimates do). It's less a statistic, more a collective guess.

In the next post, I'll try to make sense of all these numbers.

[BPSDB]

Grant, B. (2006). About 26% of people in the US have an anxiety, mood, impulse control, or substance disorder Evidence-Based Mental Health, 9 (1), 27-27 DOI: 10.1136/ebmh.9.1.27

Film and Animation Festival

For the third time, near the campus in cooperation with the Goethe Institut
the Festival Short Film and Animation of the theme Ping!
Pong! Besides in Bandung, this festival will also dikelilingkan ` 'in the
Jakarta (Saturday, 5 June this) and Denpasar (6-8 June).

This film festival is only held a one day course is also
Robin Mallick present, leaders of Animation Film Festival and Film
Dresden who have been short as much as 16 times held. And
series of films that played mainly works of winner
film festivals than films animated historical collection
German Institute for Animation Film (DIAF) and works best
High School students Film and TV Postdam-Babelsberg, Germany.

For the program in Bandung, film is divided into three programs
German film in a package of animated film of their own.
Three German film program consisting of film animation studio option
DEFA Film & Animation, best animated film of High School Postdam -
Babelsberg film and the best from Germany and Austria. Films
This is a film be short, about 2 - 15 minutes and each
average program consists of a series of more than 5 movies. To
works from home, showing the animated film (very) short
work-study students dkv itb Animation I lecture on the Force's
2000 and 2001.

German Film & Animation
Animated films choices DEFA film presents five fruit
`animated classic 'be calculated with a simple story of eligible
and suitable for children. Films with this technology been
analog, both with the drawing animation, siluet and dolls.
Theme that was also the stories for children such as
Beauty and The Beast (Die Schone und das Tier) and the classic story
Ali's Persian tale.

Beauty and The Beast been with the German version of technical animation
dolls (stop motion animation) bertutur with style tale, where
all stories dituturkan through which a narator
change the voice tone and intonation as the dialogue between
character. Costumes and settings based on its culture of Germany,
with a very strong gesture in helping to build the story.
Many small details that been well and sometimes
not felt necessary, but overall a significant
for the entire film. Meanwhile, Ali und der Hexenmeister, because
taken from a Persian tale, been with the background and visualization
the Persians, taking ideas from Persian miniature illustrations
that appear with the image that even with full ornaments and East
The middle. Take the form of animated character animation siluet, and
Persian mengusung ornaments still in their entirety. This is a film
interesting because of `borrowing 'Persian visual elements that are very strong and
made with very serious in developing the overall theme
story. How bertuturnya also done with the yarn
through narator.

Movies fallende Der Schatten is a puppet animation film that
produced by Sojusmultfilm Studio, Moscow. Film laden message
moral and symbols were formed with the animation with dolls
editing like live action movies (multi-layer, effect of light and
etc.). Characterization is built with the design character and
a strong gesture, because not a lot of dialogue going. Setting -
take its Greek-Roman era, with a game point of view
a camera that not only play with the point of view of normal but
also high and low angle with a conducted effectively.

Die Losung film immediately reminds us of the short film
Studio Pixar win the Oscar for animated short film category
answer: The Birds. Moral message that there is always a party
that `nyeleneh 'and will want to own this dituturkan with
very smart and without words (the dialogue going, but
is not expressed with the word `information and meaningful '
built through voice intonation). Even when the credit title
although there are still surprises that are displayed on the screen.

Best of the program for High School Film and Television Postdam -
Babelsberg, the presentation is divided into animasinya technique. Starting
with the drawing animation program that displays the Gack Gack
humorous pasquinade better and witnessed with the `cold '
pasquinade element because it is strong and some scenes `cruelty '.
This film is also loaded with visual surprises, and some surprises
adegannya as if to force us to guess what will happen,
and then it `consent 'is funny.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon play a lot and been with the visual
image of the `rough ', such as animation, animation work Bill
Plympton. Shown are `simple 'in terms of visual (because only
black and white), but excessive and brightest in animation and motion
story ideas. Gesture, tempo (slow tempo, especially motion) and
game camera angles ` 'also holds an important role in
menuturkan story. While Pigeon Affaire been with animation
Full 2D and themes that are mature, considering the main character
obsessed on the station that broadcast voice vote
announcer girls section. Simbolisasi and gesture is also shown
fully in developing the story.

Digital animation techniques to bring the two films: Bsss and Eien Klarer
Fall. Bsss even in very simple story, how a
fly strive to be standing upside down with the rest
sulurnya, take pictures with the elephant standing on belalainya
the story of a book page. This ultimately successful efforts to
the `mengejut'kan. Eien Klarer appear even though the Fall
3D environment is very complex, which also has a story
simple: how one small thing can spread into the
extraordinary (tipping point).

Sessions have also been animated puppet film of two both
classified as heavy in theme and story and can bring
its own interpretation, as shown without words.
Grobenwahn more `easy 'arrested because the story directly:
endeavor a girl who tries to attract a
youth who was very up himself. While
Cherchez la Femme mengerutkan brow enough because the full
symbolic language and a strong culture of Germany.

For experimental animation become interesting because of two
film shown here, a film from the experiment
while the story of one of the techniques penggarapannya. Tauro
bertutur is like a circle not be about the relationship
hunters (men) and that on the (cow) made from time
to time and to return to the starting point with the (again) a
surprises. Switching between the scene is done with a seemingly smooth-akan
all movies are made with techniques take one shot (one shot of
taken without a stop / cut scene for a very long). Late
Night at bereksplorasi with the technique, through the painted animation
alumnium above, such as that conducted through Alexander Petrov
the animated "The Old Man and The Sea" which uses the medium of painting
top three layers glass.

The program closed with the second three best film awards from the
tahun2004: King of Fools, and Feldversuche Lucia. King of Fools
been with the 2D animation is about telling stories of a frog
attract attention in the super hind section, with
play with the transformation of the gesture and in accordance with each
form of transformation. Return surprise awaits at the time of credit
its title. Movies Lucia has a serious theme, about a
a sick little girl because the brain tumor and been through animation
3D computer. Invited spectators to be able to feel `and conditions
with occasional sakit'nya Lucia is in perspective that Lucia
own (subjective shot). Ketidakberdayaan, drop out of hopes and
expectations, which then appear nicely displayed.

Last film for both programs is Feldversuche, which bertutur
on a small rabbit with a carrot diligent caring
grow so big, bigger than the body of the rabbit is
alone. And while he is working hard to be able to revoke
carrots, and something has to be behind him. Feldversuche
been in clay animation with the monochrome color tone. And
like the previous two films, this movie also been without a narrative
dituturkan the story is based on gesture and the transition scenes.

Program completed by the last Best Of Austria and Germany with 6 movies
animation and short films. Der Der Erlkonig memvisualkan poetize
Erlkonig work with Goethe simbolisasi Germany which is very strong.
The style of visualization and the distillation ornamentik (although
serumit not like the film Ali und der Hexenmeister), berkisah
about a father who tries to maintain life
son. Das Schloss (The Castle) appear with animated dolls
with the feel of the dark and mysterious, when a young man forced to
live in a castle in a village that has been abandoned
population. Feel the mystery that was built since the early
fishing for the attention we suspect guess what happens
later.

Die Eisbderin akan story reminds us on the Girls Seller lucifer
Fire, although dituturkan braided with a different story. A
homeless women around from one place to the trash
other waste and find a pair of ski boots and then
bring them to one of the world and experience the miraculous. Spectators
themselves left alone decide what happens at the end of the
film.

Movies Yo Lo Vi (I saw it) about the history of the relevant
with the work of Goya. Movies with the long duration of this
combine a variety of animation techniques, rotoscoping, collage, computer
graphics, photography, animation and hand enough to make us think
hard to catch the story you want to disampaikannya. Not infrequently,
a frame in the animation, there is another frame animation: animation
in animation. An exploration techniques in animation.

Der moderne Zyklop film (The Modern Cyclop) tells about a
the island is inhabited by a Cyclop (a giant one-eyed) who obtained
serombongan visits from German tourists who want to know. Hits
before ending with a shock-shock, especially for a pair of tourists
then cross the road of life is different because
keingintahuannya it. This film is a puppet animation film.

Fast film is the last film with the appropriate name is
bertutur fast and filled with visual surprises. Film
telling stories about a detective who hunt and save
a girl from the evil. The story of a `standard 'that
dituturkan the same way, it was not standard. To
story telling, this film combines the various film dikolasekan
thus able to deliver the main story. Pieces of film
taken from a film that is known broadly, especially films 007
with the actor Sean Connery. As disclosed in the catalog
festival: "Fast Film is persecution through hunting techniques
film "and this expression can also be translated literally.

Learning from the German Film & Animation
Interesting it seems every time I see films from other countries,
because there are always new things that can be arrested let alone films
the running time is really new because it has never been
shown here. In addition, for the time period
production of a long (DEFA film animation option is
historic collections made around the year 1977-1988 while
best film school Postdam-Babelsberg production is 2004) then
we can also learn about the `journey 'German animated film,
both from the technical side, the concept and the story. Many `shock '
which are presented through the film because some of the film
even using the techniques that are well known, but capable
mengaplikasikannya with a `different 'and get
a rousing applause from the audience.

Film is built mainly with the visual language: what is displayed
and arrested by the eye. Therefore, successful case tuturan
a film can be seen from the reaction penontonnya. Especially if
penontonnya is `foreign 'does not understand that oral language
and any posts that use the film.

In this festival there are some movies that appear in the language
Germany without the text, even without a majority of the narrative appear at all,
and the story is built on the elements of visual media AV. Borrow
Pak Primasi terms of governance said outside (the transition between
scene / Sequence) and the administration said in (what is displayed
in the `screen 'in each scene, such as composition, gesture,
characterization), she also became a key element of the film
German animation this is able to communicate with the audience `foreign '
not necessarily understand the language and culture of Germany.

Element movement gesture to small details like that is not important,
selection and image composition and camera angles
exquisite figure in shaping character and stream
communication for penontonnya. In some movies, a game -
a game like this helps to understand the story, sometimes even
as if we are able to read the signs earlier for suspected visual
scene what would happen next. Not infrequently the game -
this game menimbullkan sensation that average invite
derisive laughter: a sign that elements of humor that is usually loaded
with local audiences can tersampaikan of the `local '
the other. Or can also artikan as elements of humor that has been go
able by the international community because the more knowledgeable.

Development of the technique is also quite extraordinary.
In addition to techniques that are generally known in the animation as animated
classical (2D), the animated objects (3D with claymation, dolls, etc.),
and computer animation, exploration is also done with the
techniques to achieve before a new technique in
convey ideas and komunikasinya. Also, exploration of the medium
own, as appears in the film at Late Night, which
apply animation techniques with painting. Or the Fast Film
would play with the film technically to build itself
story.

It is important we realize it or not, each of akan
the local loads of each, no matter how and with
technical paper that is displayed. In films that are shown
this, there is still a red thread that refers to the
elements of `local 'Germany. Either side of the visual, and how bertutur
communicate to the content / story content. In fact, some film
is loaded with elements of `local ', which require interpretation
and understanding more about German culture to be able
understand it more comfortable.

Mbak Lanny's Goethe Institute had the opportunity in a
says, sometimes patience is required to be able to understand the film,
especially foreign films with a different culture. Patient in the sense
stand to watch a film can be a very complex
even from the beginning to the end. By looking at things from the beginning of the
until the end result will be a new insight and knowledge,
because we can `forced 'to learn to understand something
overall view, not just the partial. And surely
there are new things that we can get from what we watch,
anything that.

Thank you very much for Mr. Robin Mallick and some of Lanny
Goethe Institut on the cooperation and visits to the animation festival
This is interesting. For those who have not seen in Bandung
yesterday, can `IKJ mengejar'nya in Jakarta on Saturday, June 5
2004, hours 13.00 - evening. Akan regretted not guaranteed! Happy watching!

Japanese Film and Animation

For you fans of movie animation film, especially Japanese animation, recently found the virus in the animated film. Not intend to frighten or just, but this information only so that we become more vigilant.

A student is known to spread the animated film that could 'poison' the computer. He reputedly put a virus file in the animated film which is then distributed via the Internet illegally. Action student named Masato Nakatsuji that terendus by the security apparatus, he was arrested. Uniquely, he was not caught with the alleged spread of virus but copyright infringement.

As quoted from the BCS detikINET, Wednesday (21/5/2008), the virus that diselipkan Nakatsuji in the animated film is harada. Harada viruses including the most frequently found in the country is Sakura.

Japan is considered slow in the fight against internet crime cases. Only a few people arrested related to the spread of the virus. In some cases, including Nakatsuji, caught the virus because it is copyright infringement and not a cyber crime.

About Japanese Animation

Anime is a given by some countries to show a Japanese animation as paper. But in Japan itself throughout the paper will be referred to as animated anime, irrespective of whether it came from Japan or other countries. Thus, the animated film from Walt Disney though, still holds a degree in Japanese anime.

Anime can be classified in the popular culture (in Japan) or on sub-culture (in the United States). In the United States, animation is still seen as a minor art, which is intended only for children. While in Japan, as a popular culture, anime has been seen as the intellectual works of art that challenges. Anime also built
based on the cultural traditions of the previous high, which is influenced by traditional Japanese art of tradition and artistic world of Cinema and photography in the 20th century this. This anime is also conducted exploration on the issues of the complex. This means that anime
capable and able to entertain on the basic levels, and provoke at the other. Anime also provides enlightenment to contemporary issues, which is able to reach the wider audience.

This can be seen as a serious cultural phenomenon, refers to the statement that the anime to be able to integrated in the Western pop culture, but still attract attention because it remains different from the West that is known mainstream. The difference here is generally associated with the animation when the United States, where Japanese animation often play with the themes that are usually found on the film-live action film.

In Japan, anime is a mainstream, from the pure pop culture phenomenon, which reach from children to adults. Japan itself is a country that is traditionally more than piktosentris from Western culture, which is shown with the use of characters and ideogram, anime and manga, and easily fit in contemporary visual culture.

Important points in the anime:

1. It is a work of art in contemporary Japan is rich and interesting, with a specific aesthetic and visual narrative, rooted in the traditional Japanese culture and art to reach the media and events.
2. With variations and subject material, anime is a mirror that is useful in contemporary Japanese society.
3. Anime is a global phenomenon, both as a commercial and cultural force.
4. Bring enlightenment on the issue on the broader relationship between the local and global culture. As for an action against the hegemony of globalization. Anime still have to root-Japan-annya, but he was also able to affect more areas outside the original area.
5. Has a unique visual style, as shown in the anime 1970s that have tracking shots, the image is for the development of a long shot, panning the 'excessive', the camera angles that are not normal and the extreme close up.
6. As a work of narrative art, a medium with elements of the visual characteristic, combined with a mix of the generic structure, thematic, and philosophical world to produce a unique aesthetic.

Note about the "importance for the different": Arjun Appadurai's opinion that the concept of culture is the most valuable concept of the difference.

In anime are not only narrative elements, but also narrative style, pacing, drawing, humor and emotional depth and a more psychological, as well as the way the story is complex.

Development of Anime

Growing anime industry has a close relationship with the decline in Japan's film industry. Animation industry started in the year 1915 with the animated works of art as a form of commercial after the post-war era and have a peak of achievement in the tv serial eruption of Ozamu Astro Boy Tezuka in 1963. Astro Boy the way the story is interesting graphic design combined with the minimal but effective main reason for success is quite fast.

Although the anime also has influence from the United States, it has lead to a different way: the orientation in the adult and the story of a complex structure as a whole. Anime TV series shape (as closely related to the development of manga that has a long episode) form the serial stories. Development into anime for Original Animation Video (OAV) and the form of a film to the big screen around the 1970s to bring Japan to outside influences.

Entering the 1990s, many pop-anime anime that are intellectually interesting, such as through the tv serial which is considered provocative: Neon Genesis Evangelion paper Hideaki Anno, and also works Mononoke Hime Hayao Miyazaki, to make known the anime.

The chronological, anime pengkarakteran evolved from a black and white stories of adventure theme Love, courage, and philosophy has become a complex, opened the way to the artistic and commercial potential.

Historic Culture in Anime

Cultural reasons behind the success and popularity of anime is very complex. One is the culture of anime manga 20th century. Manga has a larger influence on Japanese society than that which reached his brother in the United States, because the manga has a variety of broader themes. These variations cause the manga is able to provide easier access to the community. As expressed by academics Frederik L. Schodt (Manga Manga book author and the World of Japanese Comics and Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga) that, "Japan is the first country in the world in which comics can be an expression of the actual media."

Therefore, it is important to understand the relationship between manga anime world with a rich and interesting. And the most visible is on the visual style. Many similarities in both image media. As expressed by academics that Rafaelli Luca animated cut in the typical anime that relies on imagination penontonnya for menggerak story animasinya, no doubt derived from the form of
a unique visual narrative of the manga, which is very different from the comics who prefer the West dialogue.

Bound between the other manga and anime anime is usually made based on the stories that appear first in the form of manga, although the approach will result in a different format and, given the differences in media used and the people involved. Printed edition allows you to use a lot of space for eruption characters other supporters, and a more complex story, while the Cinema / film uses pacing, music, san visual performance to bring the audience a visual experience indeed.

Although it has some differences, both anime and manga share the same historical factors in a visual culture where the opportunity is given to a wider than what the West. Manga rooted in the Edo period (1600-1868) in the format or Kibyoshi book illustration and Ukiyo-e prints, or the results of the wood. Appears to be safe when it is said about the Japanese cultural tradition of the image is an influence
real universalisnya of manga and anime.

Anime Identity and Global Culture

Statement observer Susan Pointon film about a constant mix of anime and Japanese popular culture is an important thing. Anime is now no longer pure Japanese, but also influenced by Western culture. Anime but still interesting because it has a 'difference' itself.

Gynecology anime culture is very specific, with the theme, and icons that issue stems from the historical setting and the day-to-day activities. If not, the narrative in the anime show problematika's natural identity of the nation Japan: Japanese-made but not pro-Japanese setting.

Anime (and manga) often use the characters non-Japanese as people who look West, with the appearance of blonde, but still classified as anime style. As disclosed Mamoru Oshi (director of Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor The Movie) anime that is' another world '. He is different from the reality of Japan today, but more mertujuk the world to the other (isekai).

Which may be the most fundamental of the popularity of anime in Japan is not only due to limited economic and aesthetic traditions, but also from the flexibility, creativity and freedom of the media itself, as a method of resistance to Japan kemapanan community at this time.

Anime and Japanese Cultural Identity

Anime has been affected despite the extraordinary from the global culture, he is still classified as an original product from a variety of conditions and the relationship that has created the modern Japanese culture. Japanese society itself is still a unique look, as the only modern countries in Asia, as seen from the point of view of the West. And long history of Japan itself is also terekspresikan in range mode, and penggambarannya theme in anime.

Themes Apokoliptik
Be the atom bomb in the city of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and a bad dream and then follow it to give way for the occurrence of the themes apokoliptik this. End of the world (come) into one of the key elements in the print and visual culture in the era of post-war Japan. In themes such as this, even though the anime has some of the positive matrix of hope and regeneration, most anime other
move on the theme a more dark, focused attention on the destruction of society and even the planet itself.

Not only the atomic bomb tragedy and the daunting conditions that lead to follow on this theme. There are several other factors, whether the specific cultural or specific to the 20th century contributed to the birth of the dark themes in anime. These include increasing aspects keterasingan on urban society in the era of industrialization, the difference between the light generation and increased tension between gender. Also problematika that the Japanese economy in 1989 that makes bergesernya values and goals of the community was built by Japan's post-war earlier.

Despite this shift in values is felt in the young generation, as in the culture that leads the fashion and kawaii shojo (imut), confusion remains over the society, to the record breaking number suicide layer on the entire generation. Can be said that the themes reflect apokoliptik akan pesisme social expression of the community.

Themes Matsuri or Festival
Matsuri, or festival, is the integral element in the social life and religious people of Japan, as the "realism and game rituals." Limitation of the place and time of the festival allows the emergence of controlled chaos, where people can not be normal, a life free from the reasonable and daily.

In anime, this theme can be seen in the wild humor, humor, eksegerasi excessive, the game, the expression-expression and also the theme of sexual violence. Japanese society is able to express this spirit, and transforming into the form of anime. Given the anime is a place that allows experimentation, transformation, and especially as a gateway to enter the world a more radical compared to the other world, such as the live action world Cinema.

Theme of elegy
The word itself literally elegy to the death of poetry written in the style of 'reluctantly' and can be applied more widely, to show mourning mood and melankolis, may be mixed with Nostalgia. Mood also plays an important role in the cultural expression of people of Japan. Elegy also have relationships with tradition lyrics lyrics-long Japanese culture in the pre-and modernization in the past often associated with the natural world, and seasonal changes. Expression
Japan showed the classic grief, mono no aware, often associated with natural objects such as cherry mekarnya and water views.

In the anime, theme elegy exist many variations on the genre, and although the theme may not be too elegy in central anime other than the second mode, he still has, in the most enriched element comics and anime at this time.

Is important to remember the anime as a popular culture that has a broad reach. Anime follow in all aspects of society and culture as a material, not only the most contemporary trends and the latest, but also the level of terdalam history, religion, philosophy and politics. Anime can be very creative, the intellectual challenge and be as estetikanya terms.

It is also important to understand that no one in the anime style. The difference is that it is not simply a distinction between Japan's and not Japan. Anime adopt a difference, and through, creating a new form of artistic and still receive information by diperkaya model representation, which are both traditional culture and also representation from the universal property of the human imagination.

Animations

Anime (アニメ) (read: a-ni-me, not a-nim) is the typical Japanese animation, which is usually characterized through the pictures colorful display of figures in a variety of locations and stories, which is aimed at various types of spectators. Anime image manga influenced style, typical Japanese comics.

The word anime to appear in writing in three katakana characters a, ni, me (アニメ) which is the language from English serapan "Animation" and pronounced as "Anime-shon".

Anime first reached a wide popularity is the paper Ozamu Astro Boy Tezuka in 1963. Now anime is very developed compared to the first days of anime. With graphics that have been developed to plot the story more interesting and exciting. Japan Society is enthusiastic about watching anime and reading manga. From children to adults. They assume, anime is as part of their lives, This is some of the popular cable television akan some kartunnya film, such as Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon export kartunnya. To be able to get anime, they should buy the DVD / VCD anime or anime they can download it from the site-site service provider Direct Download Link (DDL). Now anime into a business that arouse all the people, and also many people who have used this case to a criminal action. Creator of the anime itself is called animator.Para Animator is working disebuah media company to produce an anime. In the company, there are some mutual animator who worked together to produce a high quality anime. But really be pitied, the animator's salary is small compared with their hard work. This is the reluctant to make the animator to work for a professional. They feel it is not comparable with the effort they have to do. The animator is often called the Artists' own shadow. Because they work like an artist who seeks the elements of the story and elements intrinsiknya.

Peter & Staly: Part 2

Where: An old house near 1½-mile, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
What: Peter Phang and Staly Tay's Pre-wedding Photo Session
When: 10^th May 2009
How: Nikon D300 + Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4AI

Do Antidepressants Help in Mild Depression?

Yes! says the BBC, reporting on the results of a new trial -

Drugs 'can help mild depression'

Not so fast. Read this before you reach for the Prozac.
It was about this time last year that Irving Kirsch and colleagues released Initial Severity and Antidepressant Benefits. This bombshell of a meta-analysis concluded, notoriously, that the benefits of antidepressants over and above placebo are in general pretty small. Moreover, it claimed that the benefits are even smaller - indeed pretty much zero - in people whose depression is not very severe to begin with.

However, Neuroskeptic readers will know that antidepressant trials are not all they're cracked up to be (1,2). On top of which Kirsch et al. were a little "creative" with their statistics, as bloggers P J Leonard and Robert Waldmann aptly demonstrated. So, the claim that antidepressants don't work in mild depression rests on shaky foundations.

But that doesn't mean that they do work. In fact, there have been very few studies looking at the effectiveness of drugs in mild to moderate depression. That's a shame, because mild depression is the most common reason why people are given antidepressants in real life.

Now a new clinical trial, run by the British National Health Service, has appeared. It was (drumroll) a Randomised controlled trial to determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors plus supportive care, versus supportive care alone, for mild to moderate depression with somatic symptoms in primary care.

The researchers enlisted GPs (family doctors) from across the UK, and got them to refer suitable patients to the study. Patients could be included if their doctors considered that they were depressed and had been for at least 8 weeks. They also had to be aged 18 or over, and they had to be rated between 12 and 19 on the HAMD, a scale used to measure the severity of depression. (Slightly oddly, they were also required to show at least some evidence of "somatic" symptoms - aches, pains, indigestion, that kind of thing. I'm not sure why.) Patients were excluded if they "expressed suicidal intent" or if they admitted to drug or alcohol misuse.

A total of 602 patients were referred to the trial, but of these only 220 actually took part; the rest either didn't want to do it or were unsuitable for whatever reason. It took the researchers nearly 4 years and heroic efforts to recruit those 220 people, including reimbursing doctors £45 for each patient referred. This kind of research is frustrating. This is probably why there's so little of it.The volunteers were randomly assigned to get supportive care alone, or supportive care plus the doctor's choice of SSRI antidepressant. "Supportive care" is basically a euphemism for "doing sweet F. A.". The GPs were meant to see the patients 5 times over a 12 week period; given that a typical GP consultation in the UK lasts about 10 minutes, the idea that this constitutes any kind of "care", supportive or not, is a bit of a joke.

What happened? Well, to cut a very long story short, the patients assigned to SSRIs did better than the ones assigned to supportive care alone. Hurrah! But they only did slightly better. After 12 weeks they had a mean HAMD score of 8.7 compared to 11.2 in the supportive care group. The SSRI group also did a bit better on some other measures of health, well-being and general satisfaction. The difference on the BDI, a self-reported measure of depression, was not significant however (13.0 vs. 15.1)

So does that mean antidepressants "work" in mild depression? Maybe. Maybe not. The most obvious issue, of course, is that there was no placebo group in this trial. So any benefit of the pills could have just been psychological. Gettingly randomly assigned to "supportive care" and condemned to twiddle your thumbs for 12 weeks is not going to make anyone feel better. Starting on antidepressants, on the other hand, feels like a fresh start. It gives hope. It's change you can believe in.

But if giving people pills makes them feel better, isn't that good enough reason to do it? Who cares if it's all the placebo effect? Well, there's some truth to that, but the problem is that patients included in this trial were a rather unusual bunch. In particular, they were people who agreed to be randomized to get antidepressants or not, i.e. they had no strong preference either for or against pills.

Given that an awful lot of people do have such a preference, we can't assume that these results apply to the average patient in the clinic. As the authors note (page 59, emphasis mine):

The tallies of surgery logs completed by a number of the study GPs at various points during the study showed that only around 1 in 10 patients with a new episode of depression were referred into the study, mainly because the rest did not fulfil the inclusion criteria, particularly in terms of a lack of equipoise about the benefits of drug treatment on the part of the doctor or patient or both.

And of those 602 referred, only about a third actually took part, as mentioned above. So what we have here is a study on an unusual 3% of patients. What about the other 97%? We don't know. Still.

Or don't we? Well, it depends who "we" are. I suspect that a moderately competent doctor with experience treating depression probably does have a good idea of who is likely to benefit from drugs and who isn't. There's no substitute for real, hands-on clinical experience. There's more to life than trials...

T Kendrick, J Chatwin, C Dowrick, A Tylee, R Morriss, R Peveler, M Leese, P McCrone, T Harris, M Moore, R Byng, G Brown, S Barthel, H Mander, A Ring, V Kelly, V Wallace, M Gabbay, T Craig and A Mann (2009). Randomised controlled trial to determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors plus supportive care, versus supportive care alone, for mild to moderate depression with somatic symptoms in primary care Health Technology Assessment, 13 (22)

Shinkansen Trains

I have been passionate about trains since I was a kid. I always envied the people who could get on train travel.

I didn't get to travel on a train until I was in my late 20s. I have been traveling in trains countless of times since then. However, my first experience on an ultra-high speed train was with the Shinkansen in Japan.

There are several generations of Shinkansen train and I was fortunate to travel on most of the types available, including the fastest!

The older generation Shinkansen train

The E2 series

The E2 series on the run

The E3 series

The moving E3 series

The E4 series double-deck train