Will be making a presentation at the Gendaishi Kenkyuukai on November 28th.

 A new arrival today. Looks and feels lovely.

Gustav Rasmussen, Code des Prisonniers de Guerre: Commentaire de la convention du 27 Julliet 1929 relative au traitement des prisonniers de guerre. Copenhagen: Levin and Munksgaard, 1931.

Looks lovely, but the "unopened" description was more accurate than I expected. I now have the dilemma of whether to preserve the book as is, or to actually read the thing. Perhaps others have been wondering about the same problem since 1931.

(Click "read more" for pictures.)

Grab two onigiri for lunch, then run to the law library to copy some articles.
Climb stairs to third floor.
Write name on piece of paper. Get A5-sized plastic-bound "reader's card".
Own book sets off security alarm. Leave luggage in locker.
Go to help desk. Book is back by the entrance.
Go to shelf. Volume wanted is not there.
Go to front desk. Book is in B2, five floors down.
Write name on another piece of paper. Get credit-card sized card key.
Take elevator to B2.
Find books (1951, 1952, 1953 British Yearbook on International Law).
Take books to copy machine. Copy card not recognised.
Take books to front desk five floors up. Copy card not recognised by machines.
No cash today. Have cards to copy 40,000 pages, but not on these machines.
Return books and two cards to front desk.
Reclaim luggage from locker. Set off security alarm on exit.
Sigh.

Is it really that difficult to have ONE copycard system that works across all copy machines in the same university? Is it really that hard?

Someone wants to 'correct' a huge text, without knowing the original language. Sounds feasible.

I wonder which of these versions is more accurate?

• Conservative Bible Project
• LOLcat Bible

(Via Crooked Timber.)

Ever since the election here in Japan, I've had an uneasy feeling about the two coalition cabinet ministers. Initially, I was more concerned that the SDP leader, Fukushima Mizuho, would prove not to be up to the task, but it seems that Kamei Shizuka is acting more and more the dinosaur he looks.

I can't see him lasting too long if he carries on like this, which could be awkward for the DPJ in the upper house.