Thursday, October 30, 2008

Lost in Translation

Early this morning while sharing breakfast of tuna sandwiches, we started wondering what the word "clue" is in Filipino. Many have wondered, many have tried to translate... ano nga ba ang Tagalog sa "clue"?

Check out Google translate. The site now has Filipino included in the list of languages available. Here's the translation of the word "clue" - "Bakas". Oo "bakas", hindi ka namalikmata. "Bakas" talaga 'yung translation na binibigay nya.

Eto pa: "Give me a clue.", sabi ng Google, "Bigyan mo ako ng isang tanda. " Ano daw? Ang weird pa, if you try to translate the said sentence back to English, it will be "Give me a note.". 'di ba dapat, "Give me a sign."? Tapos, pag isinalin mo uli sa Filipino ang "Give me a note", ang translation ay " Bigyan mo ako ng isang nota".

Here's a funny one - Filipino translation of "without a clue" is "walang bakas"! Huh?

What do you know? Things really get lost in translation!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

TBBT Se 02: The Euclid Alternative

Episode 5

Sheldon: I don't like the way Darth Vader stares at me.

***
Leonard: I'm not going to work.
Sheldon: Oh, just because your career's been stagnant for a few years that's no reason to give up.

***
Sheldon: I can't take the bus anymore. They don't have seat belts and they won't let you lash yourself to the seat with bungee cords.
Leonard: You tried to lash yourself to the seat with bungee cords?
Sheldon: I didn't try, I succeeded. For some reason it alarmed the other passengers and I was asked to de-bus.

***
Sheldon: Thank you for driving me to work.
Penny: You know this is my day off, Sheldon?
Sheldon: Oh, good. I'm not keeping you from anything.

***
Raj: Why did Howard leave you in the middle of the road anyway?
Sheldon: We had a difference of opinion.
Raj: Over what?
Sheldon: Whether or not he was trying to kill me? For the record I maintain he was.

***
Leonard: So, wait, you're just gonna give up?
Sheldon: No, I'm not giving up. I never give up.
Leonard: So, what is it you're doing?
Sheldon: I'm transcending the situation. I'm clearly too evolved for driving.
Leonard: What does that mean?

***
Sheldon: Leonard, I'm meant for greater things, like unraveling the mysteries of the universe. Not determining when it's safe to pass a stopped school bus on a country road.
Leonard: It's never safe.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

TianJin Trip: HaiHe River

After walking around the the shopping area near the the Xikai Cathedral, we took a cab to Dagu Bridge. According to reviews, the design of the bridge is called sun and moon arches (not sure why) and it has won the prestigious Eugene Fido Award.




We stayed at the banks of the HaiHe River until it's time to board our train. Liza's too tired to walk (and we've used all our energy looking for the Food Street earlier).

fishing

Facing the Dagu Bridge is the Liberation Bridge or Jiefang Qiao. This 80 year old bridge is a famous tourist attaction in Tianjin. It is also home to the Century Bell, which was constructed in order to ring in the new millennium.




Liberation Bridge at night


The bell is 40 meters in height and weighs more than 150 tons, making it the largest and heaviest bell so far recorded throughout China.

Century Bell or Millenium Clock

We went inside the train station once it has gotten dark because it's chilly outside. Then we're back to Beijing.

Tianjin Train Station

TianJin Trip: Xikai Cathedral

Our third stop in Tianjin is the Xikai Cathedral. We learned our lesson - we took a cab from the Food street to the Cathedral. No more walking. Just tell the driver to go to Xikai Jiaotang - they'll know where to go.

From chinatoday.com: Also known as the French Cathedral, this building is on Binjiang Road in Heping District. It is 45 meters tall and is both a cathedral, built in 1914 and a church, built three years later. It covers an area of 1,585 square meters. Xikai Cathedral is the largest church in Tianjin and has been recently refurbished.

in front of the cathedral







TianJin Trip: Shipin Jie (Food Street)

After walking what seems like ten miles, we finally found Shipin Jie. Why didn't we take a cab, you ask? The people I asked for directions said that the place is very near after pointing to the direction in which we should walk. (in Tagalog: dyan lang...) I should have known better to take their word for it. Their definition of near is nowhere near mine's.


at last...

two floors of restaurants and food shops

We checked out several restaurants before settling to the one near the stairs (on the second floor). Our main requirement is that it should have dumplings on the picture menu. The food's pretty cheap - we just paid 26 kuai each for several dishes and a big coke.

mushrooms - 16 kuai

bucket o' rice - 16 kuai

crispy chicken - 28 kuai

pork dumplings - 12 kuai (for 10 pieces)

There are other delicacies sold here some of which I saw for the first time. They also have bagoong alamang (definitely worth coming back for), and they have lots and lots of candies!


shrimps (?) with really big claws

gummy worms and chewy candies

really big Tianjin mahua

We didn't buy any mahua (fried dough twists) but people say that Tianjin is really famous for it.

TianJin Trip: Gulou Shopping Street

Our first stop is the Gulou Shopping Street. Actually we planned to go to Shipin Jie (Food Street), but we got lost and ended up here. At the train station, the guy at the customer service booth told us that the 634 bus passes by the Food street. I'm not sure if we rode past it or the bus took a wrong turn but we didn't see the stop. We should've taken a cab...


at the entrance


There are lot of shops selling clay figurines. Perfect souvenirs for those going home. For us-no-annual-leave-left-can't-go-home-yet people, it's window shopping only...

strip of shops

spot the difference

The place is like a smaller version of Panjiayuan in Beijing. The street also has furniture shops, jewelry shops and other goodies. They even have gummy worms!

wicker chairs

wood carvings

5 kuai hats

buggy ride

PAINT BRUSH!

swords

candies

Thursday, October 16, 2008

TBBT Se 02: The Griffin Equivalency

Episode 4

Penny: Okay. Well, I'll just, uhm, go eat. By myself.
Leonard: Penny, you don't have to do that.
Penny: No, its okay. Between him not talking, him talking, and him, I'm better off alone. So... Goodbye, you poor strange little man.

***
Howard: Do I get an honorable mention for designing the telescope camera mounting bracket you used?
Raj: Sorry. It's not part of my heart-warming and personal narrative, in which a humble boy from New Delhi overcame poverty and prejudice and journeyed to America to reach for the stars.
Howard: Poverty? You father's a gynecologist. He drives a Bentley.
Raj: It's a lease!

***
Sheldon: I'm confused. Was there some sort of peer review committee to determine which scientist will be included?
Raj: Peer review? It's People magazine. People picked me.
Sheldon: What people?
Raj: The, the, the people from People.
Sheldon: Yeah, but exactly, who are these people? What are their credentials? How are they qualified? What makes accidentally noticing a hunk of rock that's been traipsing around the solar system for billions of years more noteworthy than any other scientific accomplishment made by someone under thirty?

***
Leonard: 'you proud of yourself?
Sheldon: In general, yes.

***
Sheldon: Look, I've found my missing neutrino.
Howard: Oh good, we can take it off the milk cart.

***
Sheldon: I often forget other people have limitations. That's so sad.
Howard: He can feel sadness?
Leonard: Not really, it's what you and I would call condescension.

***
Sheldon: Fine. What do you want me to do?
Leonard: Smile.
Howard: Oh crap! that's terrifying.
Leonard: We're here to see Koothrappali not kill Batman! try less teeth.

***
Raj: They are going to digitally add a supernova. They said it's the perfect metaphor for my incandescent talent.
Sheldon: Right. A ball of hot flaming gas that collapses upon itself.

***
Penny: I can't believe you. Raj is celebrating a tremendous accomplishment and you're not even gonna be there to support him?
Sheldon: A tremendous accomplishment would be if the planetary body he discovered were plummeting toward earth and he exploded it with his mind.
Howard: That would be cool. I'd go to that reception.

***
Sheldon: If Koothrappali is moving on to a new life of shallow, undeserved fame, then perhaps this is an opportunity to create a better cohort.
Leonard: You wanna breed a new friend?!
Sheldon: That's one option, but who has the time?

***
Howard: Sheldon, don't take this the wrong way but you're insane.
Leonard: That may well be, but the fact is, it wouldn't kill us to meet some new people.
Sheldon: For the record, it could kill us to meet new people. They could be murderers, the carriers of unusual pathogens... and I'm not insane. My mother had me tested.

***
Leonard: Let's see, money, women, technology... We're agreed, our new friend is going to be Iron Man!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Musings

Far, far too late. The saddest, loneliest words in any language.
- Bitter Honey by Helen Brooks

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

TBBT Se 02: The Barbarian Sublimation

Episode 3

Penny: Oh, I see.
Sheldon: What does that stand for?

***
Leonard: I only bring it up because your ice cream's melting and it's starting to attract wildlife.

***
Howard: What the frack?

***
Raj: It's like some kind of weird comic book cross-over.
Howard: Like if Hulk were dating Peppermint Patty.
Raj: I've always thought Peppermint Patty was a lesbian.

***
Leslie: Don't turn it off, you might miss the call from the Nobel committee letting you know you've been nominated as dumbass laureate of the year!
Sheldon: Oh yeah? Well, you wouldn't even be nominated!

***
Sheldon: Leonard, you have to do something about Penny. She is interfering with my sleep. She is interfering with my work. And if I have another significant aspect of my life, I'm sure she'll be interfering with that, too.

***
Leslie: Afternoon men, Sheldon.
Sheldon: oh, yeah? Well, you're attempted juvenilizing me by to excluding me from the set adult male... oh... I'm too tired to do this.
Leslie: Great. I've heard you've been pulling all-nighters with middle-earth barbie.
Sheldon: She comes to my room. No one's supposed to be in my room.

***
Sheldon: Hang on Leonard. Well, I have no respect for Leslie as a scientist, or a human being for that matter. We have to concede her undeniable expertise in the interrelated fields of promiscuity and general slutiness.
Leslie: Thank you.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

TBBT Se 02: The Codpiece Topology

Episode 2

Leonard: You went out and bought linen?
Sheldon: Don't be silly. I borrowed one of your pillow cases.

***
Sheldon: Notify the editors of the Oxford English dictionary. The word "plenty' has been redefined to mean "two".

***
Raj: What about leslie Winkle?
Sheldon: Oh, no.
Raj: Why?
Sheldon: Her research methodology is sloppy, she's unjustifiably arrogant about loop quantum gravity, and to make matters worse, she's often mean to me.

***
Howard: You mean like you and Richard the slave girl?
Raj: I bought him dinner and we kissed once. That was it! ...and he told me his name was Kimberly!

***
Sheldon: You know how I know we're not in the Matrix?
Leonard: How?
Sheldon: If we were, the food would be better.

***
Leslie: Hey dummy.
Sheldon: Hello to you, insufficiently
intelligent person.
Leslie: Oooh, rush me to the burn unit.

***
Leslie: So I heard your relationship with Penny crashed the ground like blue ice falling out of an airplane lavatory.
Leonard: Where did you hear that?
Leslie: Actually I read it. Wolowitz texted me.

***
Leonard: Sounds fun.
Leslie: I'll leave the details up to you. I think its better if you assume the male role.
Leonard: Thank you, that's very thoughtful.

***
Leonard: Sheldon, it's a date. I have a date coming over.
Sheldon: Oh. Well you cna't blame for jumping to that conclusion.
Leonard: Why? What is so unusual about me having a date?
Sheldon: Well, statistically speaking...
Leonard: Allright, alright.

***
Leonard: ...you know, make yourself scarce.
Sheldon: Leonard, I'm a published theoretical physicist with two doctorates, and an IQ which can't be accurately measured by normal tests. How much scarcer could I be?

***
Sheldon: You want me to leave the apartment?
Leonard: Yes
Sheldon: You want to just go someplace else and be someplace else?
Leonard: Yes

***
Leonard: And if science ever discovers a second member of your species and you two would like to have some privacy I'd be more than happy to get out of your way.
Sheldon: Well, alright then.

***
Penny: Sheldon, you are a smart guy. You must...
Sheldon: Smart? I'd have to lose 60 IQ points to be classified as smart.