Slovak, Google Translation and A Number

Google turned up a review of The Helm in Slovak on a site called Komiks Mania by someone named Demented! Which makes me glad. Just in general. But also specifically glad that Google has a translation function. But then slightly sad that it's not a better translation function. I've used this translation function on many different occasions and on many different languages and I always get interestingly garbled results.

Of course, who am I to look a gift translation in the mouth? Not too long ago, if I wanted to translate a review from Slovak, I'd either have had to pay a translation service or ask one of my many Slovakian friends to decipher it for me. As is, I'm able to get the gist even if the nuances and poetry of the original review are lost on me.

On the up side, I get to read lines like,
"Matt constantly moan, somewhat spoiled is coward. But if the helmet allowing him to eat more, his new profession of "defender of the world", he would have certainly liked more...It has the minisériu, but it is about the continuation of a regular series. Už sa teším!!! Already I look forward to! 8 out of 10. Beauty!"

I'm not exactly sure, but in context, it all seems quite positive. If you want to check it out yourself, in the original Slovak, here's the link: http://www.kocogel.info/index.php?topic=4614.0

So, here's a shout out to you, Demented at Komiks Mania! Thanks for reviewing the Helm in Slovak!

And also, check out this cool site for news and info about comics: http://comicsblips.dailyradar.com/

Apart from that, and for those interested parties, here is a number: 6966933945

Helm Preview, Google Disappointment and the TV Wasteland

There's a new Helm Preview page up on the Helm Website!

Of course, similar material has been previewed on lots of other sites, but I started feeling like the official website for the comic ought to have a preview.

Apart from that, I was disappointed by Google today when I searched for the lyrics to the theme song from the 1976 Disney TV movie, Treasure of Matecumbe and was unable to find anything. I've got scads of information about the movie, but alas, no lyrics. I suppose I shouldn't be disappointed in Google so much as the whole Internet community. I just feel like somewhere out there, some obsessed someone ought to care enough to have recorded the lyrics and posted them, or better yet, have turned the actual theme song into a digital file and put it up for the world to hear. Sadly, no.

During my search, however, I checked out the other credits of the film's director, Vincent McEveety. That's right Mic-Eve-Eat-Eeeeee. Turns out, this guy directed nearly everything I ever watched on TV as a youth, good or bad. Mostly bad. Star Trek? Check. T.J. Hooker? Check. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century? Check. Dallas? Check. Kolchak: The Night Stalker? Check. Wonder Woman? Check! Mannix? Check! The list goes on and on!

Anyway, I will give either an autographed copy of the complete Helm series or a limited edition Helm T-shirt to the first person to email me a correct transcription of the lyrics of the theme song of Treasure of Matecumbe. That's right, the Internet's failing is your potential gain.

Cat, Dog, Stock Market, Whatever...

So someone wrote to me, not about the Helm, but about my post about the dog alarm clock. Apparently, this guy has been scouring the Internet looking for the dog drill sergeant alarm clock that shouts "WAKE UP! RISE AND SHINE!" because he had a roommate who had one in college--and of course, Google led him to me. He's been looking for one of these clocks for his kids but has been unable to find one anywhere. So, having recently recovered mine from the Borg Cube (I couldn't take it anymore and finally dug it out) I examined mine and discovered that it was made by a company called Rhythm in Japan and sold by the Chicago Clock Company. That gave me enough info for my own Google search--which eventually turned up an image of the clock. Only, lo and behold, it was described as a CAT drill sergeant! That's right. All these years I have been laboring under the misapprehension that the most annoying alarm clock on earth is shaped like a dog, when in fact, it is supposed to be a cat.

Then I discovered that these things sell on eBay for $180 each! I think mine cost me $15.99 when I got it! Damn! I should have been investing in these Cat alarm clocks all these years instead of the stock market! What was I thinking?