hotstuff with a hatpin links of the day

• This is kind of crazy: people in Japan are using Obama's speeches as English-learning tools, according to the NYTimes article "Obama Becomes Japan’s English Teacher". I mean, it makes some sense, cuz "'Mr. Obama’s English is easy to understand because he pronounces words clearly and speaks at a relatively slow clip'" and "Mr. Obama sets his range of vocabulary wide enough to accommodate the highly educated and the less educated". According to the article, one compilation of Obama's speeches has sold half a million copies. Example comical titles of some of the language-learning productions include “Speech Training: Learning to Deliver English Speech, Obama Style” and “Yes, I Can With Obama: 40 Magical English Phrases From Presidential E-mails”. So, there's that. I'm a bit disturbed by the claim that some people find the speeches moving even though they don't understand English: "“Some even said the only phrase they caught was, ‘Yes, we can.’ They said they were in tears nonetheless.”" I don't know if that means I'm being brainwashed by the melodic flow of Obama's voice or if some Japanese people are crazy. Anyways, read the article: "Obama Becomes Japan’s English Teacher".


• Beatleinfomania: The BBC Radio 2 series called "The Record Producers" has an interesting interview with George Martin. Here's the blurb from the website:
  

  Richard Allinson and Steve Levine examine his work as a producer, arranger and, through his experiments with sound, technical innovator. Highlights include the first chance to hear newly restored versions of the original master tapes for Please Please Me, along with analysis of the original multi-track of Come Together.

  This programme also gives Radio 2 listeners the opportunity to hear some of the Beatles most famous songs in a new way. Because of the limitations of tape machines during the 1960s, it was necessary to either record or mix various instruments and voices onto the same track. Once they'd been committed to tape there was no way of separating them. But now, through the use of revolutionary software, listeners can hear some of these parts in isolation for the very first time.

  In his exclusive interview, Sir George talks about various aspects of the studio and recording process, the albums Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road, along with a number of songs, including Strawberry Fields Forever, Tomorrow Never Knows and Rain.

  Breaking the recorded songs down into their individual components, and describing the process involved in achieving that Beatles sound really gives one respect for the complex awesomeness of the recordings. I don't know how someone does that. Those people are not like me. Also, I didn't realize how important George Martin was in the production of some of the songs, e.g. Strawberry Fields Forever.
  

  The audio for this show is no longer being streamed from the BBC website, but through some googling I found it here. Don't know how long it'll be there, so get it while it's hot!

  [Image: Please Please Me (1963) - PMC 1202 - MONO from The Beatles Virtual Museum]