Sunday, April 21, 2002

Mizuko -- Water Children

Today is all about the New York Times.

But then again, it is Sunday.

Fabulous, but very personal essay on abortion and miscarriage in Japan from a female Western journalist.

Find it here.

Kodomo is the Japanese word for child. It literally means little thanks, "ko" being a diminutive and "domo" a short hand expression of gratitude.

Mizu is the word for water.

So -- Mizuko is little water -- water child.

The article does not dip into this etymology, but it does explain the concept of water children... how they flow into being and are not completely of this world until the age of seven.

posted by Bohica at 1:28 PM

Young, Single and Dating at Hyperspeed

The Times scores again with a look at the online dating phenomenon.

Interesting points on market forces, generational differences, and self-promotion.

Click here to link.

posted by Bohica at 11:18 AM

A Man for All Centuries, and Sins

Worthy essay at the NY Times on the Marquis de Sade.

Evidently there is another movie coming out. A French one this time.

This essay is much more than a review though.

Example:

(Sade's..) ...arguments — and he never ceased to argue — touch upon every current controversy: personal freedom, privacy, violence, abuse, incest, abortion, pollution, class, money, privilege, the corruption of institutions, the absence of God, the role of nature and the dilemma of gender.

But even beyond these conceptual categories, Sade's creative work reveals the most primitive humanity: hate, rage, greed, avarice, unquenchable lust, gluttony, jubilant fascination with waste, the furious compulsion to lacerate, pierce, despoil, violate, annihilate — and vast systems of ideas constructed to justify its expression.

Link to full text.

posted by Bohica at 10:54 AM