Kaiji's second episode

Bad hair styles, pointy and hugely deformed noses and unlikely anime eyes. Those traits belong unmistakeably in the domain of drama and gamble gender inspired by Nobuyuki Fukumotto. On the first episode we got to be briefed on Kaiji's background and his uncalled-for features, namely being a major vagrant unable to walk life's road to success. Fortunately, our protagonist is presented with a heaven-sent call to take part in an unknown gamble to help himself out the rut he is in. Onward to episode 2:

Your fate is in the cards

  So Kaiji boards a liner on which a gamble takes place. The ship is freakin huge with all sorts of facilities! It even feels strange that deadbeat debtors get to travel on such a luxurious means of transportation. Problem is, they aren't supposed to appreciate the oceanic stroll. They'll be busy for the next four hours trying to figure a way out of their dire predicament.

A buttload of depressed people trying to look tough before the mighty hallmaster

The segment is richly illustrated and rekindles memories of  job interviews and applications, like the times when you join long queues to get a shot at whatever was at stake and you have to stand out above the rest of the pack in order to bag that one desired job. At first you are an anonymous figure, part of the unknown tide of humankind, in which not one in a thousand is attractive. But yet, you sure know that you need that coveted staff position that made you go out of your way and then your turn arrives to deliver. That's teh kind of feeling that tags along the viewer in many Kaiji episodes. Kaiji is very human and the viewer, having been exposed to the hero's limitations since day one of the series, knows full well that Kaiji has no puissant powers to get him above the common fold. Even worse, Kaiji seems incredibly unremarkable to content in the rat race. This is what makes the series a fantastical experience, because you can genuinely root for the main characters because not only it's easy to commiserate with him, but you're never sure of what is going to happen, even whether he is going to win. The plot in Kaiji branches off in many different directions and there's no way to anticipate it. This alone makes for a good portion of the built up sense of anxiety to get to the next episode...

Black suits are some of this show's staples

But now that Kaiji is in the heat of it, what gamble will pay his debt?

Attached to a stick-in velcro strip, star pendants will be used to keep track of the player's progress on a round of Restricted Rock-paper-scissors. Victory means an obtained star pendant, while defeat equates loss of one. A tie means that nothing happens, apart from the discarding of the used cards. Ah, players are supposed to use up all of their gesture cards (there are 12 of them) in order to finish the game. At the end of the game if a player still has some cards left, regardless of how many star pendants he has, he will be sent to the "dreaded other room". Apparently, the other room is a place where no-one wants to go. It's never made clear up to this point what the losers' den looks like, but Kaiji is so terrified at the thought of being sent there that his thought doesn't linger long on this prospect. All that matters for him is to get over this gamble as quickly as possible, and do the best thing that he can do- survive.

How low this whole gamble bullshit makes me!

Repent while you can! I may not be here long.

Although Kaiji is deep in debt, he is (along with all the other debtors) forced to accept a new loan, which will comprise their "war funds". The minimal amount to be borrowed is 1 million yen while the limit is 10 million. Kaiji goes for the upper limit after a peer confidently sails by to do the same, implying that it's necessary to ensure utter survival.It should also be explained that the hosts are willing to lend the money at an interest rate that compounds every 10 minutes. This is a very crippling twist added to the gamble, compelling the players to be all the more careful not to come off with an even bigger financial deficit, thus mounting on the pressure to end games quickly.

But who is the mysterious with the gall to strut with all that confidence at a time like this? What impact will he have for the remainder of Kaiji's stay? WHat did he mean when he stated that taking the upper limit was the only logical choice to make? It might not mean much by now, but this man will later turn out to be a very likeable and at the same time revoltingly swindling conman.For now he has a decent proposal to Kaiji and totes it accordingly:

Some of Kaiji's worst opponents come out as seemingly harmless creatures.

Turns out that Kaiji can wear out his fateful supply of cards by getting 12 draws in a row! How come isn't everyone thinking about the same?

Here's why people on this ship aren't cooperating to break it even without causing harm to others. It's all fine and dandy to trust your partner in order to escape danger, but once the prospect of earning easy resources dawn on one of the participants' minds, things take a turn for the worse. If you happen to be called Funai, this means to tune in to your more inner cravings for material advantage, which is about the most ambitious goal a man can have in his darkest hours. If you're the same Funai who borrowed the upper limit of 10 million yen and you've approached a desperate young man with a sweet offer for freedom, this means you're bound to resort to something that most ethically minded entities would frown upon, but nevertheless seems convenient to fulfill personal desires.

You'd also be issuing zawa zawa sounds if you were just backstabbed .

That's right. Funai backstabs Kaiji without the slightest tingle of regret and leaves him with only one star pendant, one gesture card and a hopeless situation. Will now Kaiji at last show his true colours and make a dignified escapade or will he have to squirm out of this plight by employing the most unimaginable tactics yet?

Tonegawa drives home some painful truths to his target audience.More on him will be evident later as the series progresses.

Kaiji First Episode- Departure.

I'm so glad you bothered to come over I want to treat you for lunch

This is an overdue review that I should have written about 5 years ago.This show has been imprinted in my brain since then and I feel ashamed I haven't been able to pay Nobuyuki Fukumoto my respect for his masterpiece that is Kaiji. I have watched both seasons 1 and 2 and I have to state with no shade of doubt the constituing episodes are the greatest features ever crafted by man. Little wonder considering they were devised by the same mind that gave life to Akagi, the inexplicable Mahjong legend manga which started in 1992 and is still ongoing. Now let's delve a little deeper into kaiji's ventures and cheer him on all the while...

Neglected laundry.

The beginning of a tale of woe, mindless gambles and torrents of manly tears. Actually, the much commented upon manly teary aspect of the show might come off as a motif for those who learnt about Kaiji from others' mouths, but their occurrence is mostly low key and set in poignant moments where even the viewer may be tempted to feel stirred up inside a little. The anime as a whole is comprised of run-of-the-mill themes that become highlighted under very heavy doses of humanity's darker sides. I construe that Kaiji is supposed to represent the average viewer, someone who has not amassed a huge wealth of material assets through years of hard work or by succumbing to the allure provided by corruption's shortcut, or even a combination of both. Despite coming from a humble background, Kaiji's body is little more than a vessel for desires purely cut out to be fulfilled by money and whatever money, and money alone can buy. he craves pretty much any material commodity that seems unattainable to those not wealthy enough to make the purchase. This by itself is enough for kaiji to set himself up as a loser even before leaves the house, because he regrets to be reminded of his poverty, which often brings him to tears.

Furthermore, Kaiji's life evolves around unhealthy habits. Smokes and alcoholic beverages are the only luxury items that provide him some form of relief from the depressing capitalist reality that besets his soul. He's tired of having nothing and even starts growing resentful of people other than him being in possession of coveted goods. He's obviously unhappy about his situation, so he vents his frustration by doing random acts of pilfering, mainly aimed at cars' emblems.

At this point it should be clear that Kaiji's life can summed up in three words: drinking, gambling and slacking off.

Of course, this goes on for a while, with Kaiji scraping by just enough to sustain his basic needs and carry on living. It's unclear where kaiji's income comes from, since he neither works nor wins enough in card games to pay the bills. Perhaps he wins some at those cheap gambles when faced with worst gamblers. He sticks to this strategy even though this is not yielding the desired financial return despite the efforts poured in to make the endeavour worthwhile. Eventually, something has to happen that will tickle the young man's hidden genius and make the show the fantastical series it has come to be.

Kaiji's home greyed out because he's debt bound.

What does happen is that he's paid a visit by Endou, the first of despicable people we will encounter in the series, though in Endou's case we will eventually grow to love him as a character. However, other greedy shades from the underground world will turn out to be not as likeable. Anyway, Endou has come over to kaiji's place (how did a deadbeat eccentric youngster manage to afford his own place considering the housing price in Tokyo? Nah.) collect on a debt owed in Kaiji's name because the original solicitor defaulted. It's implied that Kaiji co-signed that loan in a moment of weakness (darn weakness) in order to help a workmate: Furuhata.

Most accurate feedback ever.

 The neglectful co-worker pleaded badly for his equally broke mate to co-sign for him so he would be granted the loan. Kaiji's concerned look on his face is priceless, because he actually has feelings of his own to help his comrade despite his financial pinch. Of course, since he will be left with the full weight of the debt in case Furuhata defaults, Kaiji falters to sign his name. Well, he does, but giving in to that one moment of weakness taxed Kaiji for life as he now has to pay for his former senpai's mess.

Kaiji finding out about the most universal of laws

Long before, Endo convinces Kaiji to take part in a certain gamble in order to pay his debt and even make some money in the process. That was accomplished with incredible ease as Kaiji's everlasting desperation and money hungry ways saw in Endou's offer the opportunity of a lifetime. Still, Kaiji's doubts chafed at his adventurous side, so he had to appease them by asking what was going to happen should he come out a loser, as if he had nothing else to lose...

At Life's Crossroads

No other anime has a law-abiding contract with a character's fingerprint

He likes to insult and con people. Con combined with insult equals "consult".

Being the experienced loan shark that he is, Endou snaps at Kaiji and lays down the law in a rather corporate minded speech. He tells it plain to Kaiji that he wouldn't ever be able to repay his debt in any other way. The life he had thus far had only taken him further from the dreams he hoped to achieve. In order to get a piece of the pie Kaiji had to risk something, even if it was himself. He had to make a bold move to inch closer to the life he had always dreamt of achieving and there was no reason for him to wait. It was a testament to folly to wait to do the right things and Kaiji had right before him a golden chance to turn tables and wrack up his deserved money. Endo's way of wording things strikes Kaiji's fancy to such a degree that the gambling junkie becomes decided to follow destiny's call and goes on with the deal. However, Endo's job doesn't involve helping others. Nor does he have any intentions of helping Kaiji because he likes him and wishes to see him dart ahead of others in the rat race that our society has turned into. Endo is only in for the money his job pays for having Kaiji sign up on the dangerous undertaking that awaits....

This episode means too much to me.  The symbolism used in Kaiji is never out of place and helps convey the point being made by the narrator or a ranting character with utter class. The narrator is another important factor in this series. His overt enthusiasm sets a great tone as the described scene unfolds and makes it easy for anyone watching to quickly get lost in the metaphors mentioned and the imageries alluded to. The conflicts are all very common to what reality dishes out, which causes anyone watching to identify with virtually any scene that makes up any Kaiji episode. There's nothing fantastical about kaiji, all characters are very human and partake in our flesh-bound world, which makes any miscalculation in risk taking spell doom.
This makes the viewing experience all the more worthwhile as knowing that death is a constant companion to any of the character helps not only mount the tension, but it adds much to the anticipation factor as it's practically impossible to predict what's going to happen next and unpredictability is and will always be one of Kaiji's highest points.

ODBC explained

 You hear it all the time. Go to control panel, admin tools and odbc. Once in there, add a new database source so you can relate to a database sitting on a nearby computer. But what does ODBC mean?

ODBC (short for Open Database Connectivity) is a standard database application which uses SQL as its main query language. ODBC also offers a little API which allows programmers to make their application independent from having to use a Databank management system (DBMS) during the development stage(however, it's still necessary that they have the right version of the ODBC driver installed).

With ODBC it is also possible to access details of the database (credentials) such as the name of the database servers, port to access the network , the users' name and their password as well as other minor details of the targeted user. By employing the user's name a client application can establish a connection with the data source without having to know other details.

ODBC was originally used by Microsoft as the basis for the development of the Call Level Interface of X/Open and ISO/IEC, although this endeavour had also been undertaken by other software manufacturing companies. ODBC has also become a standard application in other areas.

ODBC-driver's diverse features:

- Core ( its basic functionality)

 -Level 1

- Level 2

Latter day programming environments allow access to it through access from very different management systems on prefabricated data sensitive controls. Access to data never ensues immediately from a table or database, but rather from the matching ODBC component. Through ODBC any local or remote data source can also be accessed.

For object-oriented programming languages (e.g.:C++, Java) in which classes are available, methods define the handling of different database systems' data. The programmer doesn't need to be concerned about the details specific to a particular database.

In Microsoft Foundation Classes the ODBC support is implemented through the classes CDDatabase, CRecordset, CRecordView, CFieldExchange and CDBExceptio.

Note: DAO (Data Access Objects) is also opmitised for Microsoft Jet Database Module which allows for indirect access to ODBC.

Since the inception of Windows 2000 ODBC has become part of the MDAC operating system. For earlier Windows versions the application can be later installed onto the system with no accompanying cost. Microsoft announced that the 2012 versions for their SQL servers will come with the then latest version of OLE-DB Provider, recommended for use with ODBC-Provider.

My persoanl take on Anger

At the most basic level, Anger is when hostility takes over. Its occurrence might be the result of a number of things, including frustration, inability to deal with an unruly person or just the witnessing of some hate-breeding event. It is revealed in facial expressions, body language, noticeable physiological reactions and overt acts meant to cause offence. Although it may be considered a natural and healthy response that has evolved to enable us to deal with threats, its unbridled form leads to a poor performance at whatever endeavour the angry individual has ventured to undertake.

Depiction of Anger by Austrian graphics artist Franz Miklis

Revenge is a common outcome of anger. This usually entails some carefully thought-out plan which somehow counterbalances the aggressive outbursts which are the initial reaction. By concocting a plot to make matters even, those on the afflicted side need to do set aside some of their craving to pursue justice. Otherwise, time spent in anger and the subsequent musing of how things should be is as good as wasted.

It is also little wonder that this is the most adverse emotion to the writing of poetry. Diminished mental faculties make for a hard time concentrating on anything. Rather, this temporary spell of insanity coerces the individual to seek a short term patch-up, even though taking a more time consuming approach may provide a better solution.

Dora the Explorer debunked

Dora wandering through a sub-tropical climate forest while Swiper the fox looks on in the distance.

Created a year after France won the 1998 Fifa World Cup, Dora the Explorer is Nickelodeon's attempt at placing Latina heroines in the spotlight. The show is about the adventures of a 7-year-old child who uses English to communicate with the audience while switching to Spanish at key moments, often with the intent of teaching some new words. They commonly range from counting from 1 through 10, colours and everyday greetings. On each episode she's seen interacting with a number of human and non-human characters, each with their own characteristic traits.From what I found online, to th
is day Dora the Explorer still enjoys high sales, even outselling products from Barbie, Spider Man and more dolls than the caucasian-looking Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella.

From what I ahve also read, Dora had originally been conceived as a way to get little children started in second language learning and I hardly disagree with this concept. Children who introduced early to a language other than their first quickly pick it up and hold a much better chance at becoming proficient than starting out as a teenager or grown-up. Not that it's outright impossible, but whoever tried to learn any language at all after being past a certain age knows full well that it's never easy to learn new words and memorise them. In fact, I haven't ever seen efforts so futile as trying to cobble together a half decent sentence than when I tried to have a go at learning a different language. It's almost as if something life threatening had to happen to force me to really internalise a single idea and manage to produce meaningful utterances.  It's the same with babies trying to communicate with their legal guardians, they need to find ways to say whatever they want or else they don't get fed or cared for the way they see fit. But children overall have the benefit of learning a new language without all the stress involved that inevitable goes along when out in the same undertaking as an adult.

Dora the Explorers is aimed at Latino children, although it's also watched by non-latino ones. First off, what's the point of airing a cartoon thinking that only latino ankle biters will enjoy? What does it have in it that wards off children from other ethnic sets? This is a downright racist way of reasoning, despite being what serious sources preach.

Still, the show steers clear away from the infamous stereotypes domain, at the same time that it's geared to a young audience that can learn about a foreign culture without any accompanying bias.

I wish I could make this look more interesting than it really because the premise of introducing little children to a second language is supposed to be have a very positive impact in their lives later on. Problem is, I don't find the show all that endearing. Even if it's geared for very young children, there are some very outlandish stuff thrown in there, like Boots, the monkey. I just don't find him funny at all. While I could gripe even about the way he walks, I will upset myself going on over this detail. What I find darn annoying is his role. He doesn't do a darned thing throughout the whole cartoon. He's there to tag along with Dora, but he has no mind of his own. He's got to have information punched into his head so he can either agree with whatever the heck that blooming Dora is stating or just repeat things mindlessly. Is it a by product of our society's failure at getting a grip on reality or am I just unfortunate enough to feel damned over a monkey whose mog never fails to kill me every time? Which one is the truth? Will I ever know? The only way I can ever get over it is if Nickelodeon axes that woeful creature. I know it's utterly pointless to vent frustation like this, but since I couldn't find anyone bold enough to hate write about Boots, It was high time someone actually did it.

Donald's crime

Donald Duck has a date with Daisy Duck, yet it's not until the final hours of the long awaited evening that he finds out he's stone broke. he soon learns that his beloved nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie are in possession of a coveted hoard of money, namely their piggy bank. He pilfers his nephews' savings and takes his female companion out on a successful date, which ends with her kissing him and calling him a "big shot", causing Donald to plunge into fantasy.

Donald's crime's theatrical release print, showing Donald as a member of the crime world. Notice the black colour of his thug's attire, which in this context implies shady or suspicious affairs.

Donald sets off home while vividly picturing himself a welathy man. It's not long before he becomes aware of his theft and his daydreams turn to disturbing visions of him as a wanted criminal fleeing from imaginary pursuers. Bloodhounds, searchlights and a motor-by gunning complete the segment and drive home the point that he's committed a federal offence. He eventually makes his way onto a nearby building's rooftop and at the end he finds himself clad in an inmate's garb within the confines of a prison cell, complete with a bar grid and everything. He grasps the bars of the door window and despondently tries to shake it open.

Reality suddenly steps in and decides that a blow to the head is in order. The thwack knocks some sense into him, revealing that he his nightmarish frenzy was a figment of his imagination and he had all along been entangled in a ruckus at the backdoor of an all night cafe and a help wanted sign had fallen off onto his head. He makes a prompt dash to the service entrance and accepts the offer on the spot. He then proceeds to perfunctorily washes the heaps of soiled dishes while thinking of nothing else but to repay his nephews in full.

At the end of his toilsome night, he's home again. In cloak and dagger fashion, he deposits the due amount of cash into the bereft piggy bank, only that he puts one too many. He again goes into a Riot of Blood sort of state trying to knock the spare nickel out of the piggy bank. He halts as he hears his nephews standing by the door telling him off for the attempted theft. The short finishes with the narrator's final words, that "crime doesn't pay".

The triplets get wind of their uncle's supposed theft.

Mongrel, a 1982 movie

Not an overly baffling picture, not by any standard of complexity. A doozy, to say the least. But slightly entertaining for those who go all the trouble to watch it. Despite being an obvious low-budget, this detail is quickly missed once one is caught up in all the action unravelling at a manor converted into low-rent apartments. The tenants are each a specimen of what humankind has to offer, good or wicked.

The plot kicks in without delay after the opening credits sequence rolls. Ken takes room and board at the house. Shrewd viewers (and even those a little on the slow side) will notice he is the only normal human being in the whole movie. He is normal even according to other movies' criteria. However, there isn't much to his acting role, so his being normal and well adjusted comes off as befitting his required presence in the movie- to set a contrasting backdrop against the other tenants' more glaring personalities. I also guess that, using a character set to look normal during all the camera time he gets, the filmmakers didn't have to bother to look for some real, Hollywood standard actor. Any ordinary human being would do. Maybe that was what they did.

The remainder of the group includes Ike, Turquoise, Sharon, Jerry and Toad. And Woody, the loudmouthed tool most would be cheering for to meet some gruesome demise. He isn't a likeable character by any level of tolerance. Besides being the unofficial manager of the apartment building gone mad he's also charged with collecting the tenants' rent. He does so without giving a receipt confirming the transaction. He seems to take a dislike to Ken after the latter requires proof of having just reimbursed the obligatory cash to crash.

Okay, onwards with the plot. Ken arrives in town looking to find somewhere to stay and elects to do so at this place. The first one he meets is Jerry, a mousy young fellow who kindly shows him his room without sparing a single opportunity to display his shy demeanour. Ken is new in town and befriends him in no time. Jerry in return accepts his company and lays down the unofficial rules to him, which consists of making Ken aware of Woody's annoying antics. The movie then proceeds to highlight Ken's character in detail, so he can get to know the other members of this crumbling society. He does so in quick succession and with little to no action along with it. The movie seemed to go nowhere until Ike's dog (oddly chained near the front door) is shot for mauling Toad. Ken's prattling with Sharon, the object of affection to the males of the film, doesn't strike Ike's fancy so he asks Woody to devise a rather twisted revenge. Woody doesn't like Ken either for not being an utter div. Their idea of revenge is downright childish and at the same time sickening. They unearth the previously slain pooch and place it on Ken's bed. After he finds out he scrambles about to flick on the light bulb, accidentally knocking over a water-holding container that, combined with a badly wired lamp, provides for a suitable close to the already disgusting prank. At least the sound effect was satisfying at this segment.

The rest of the movie is a moot point. His friend's death proves to be too much for Jerry's strained psyche and he is soon over the edge. He starts believing he's a real hound and starts picking off the other tenants after issuing a warning growl just before lunging at his victim. Then the landlord pops by with his trusty shotgun and shoots him quite dead while he's on the verge of making a fiery go at his female target.

This really lacks the sort of allure seen in movies like Alien Prey. Both are low-budget attempts at conveying some kind of message to the audience. Alien Prey had a scant amount of characters, but at least they were appealing to me. I couldn't identify myself with any of the characters in Mongrel. Nor could I commiserate with them.I can't explain exactly why, but apart from Jerry, the characters weren't developed in an intelligent light so their deaths were barely noticeable.

Overall, an interesting movie if you're not too picky. There might not be much to it as far as acting is concerned, but the interactions among the characters are definitely choice stuff. Throw in the fact that the sets are easy to identify with and unpretentious, observing the dictum of simplicity. As homely as movies can get, this is not bad.