u/GaraksLinensNThings

There are a few apps I have come across, that use this particular man's voice. I have not gotten very far yet in this app, but it's at least just his voice in the very beginning. Not sure it is a professional speaker, a translator, voice actor or even Ai. If the latter, it does not sound robotic at all.

I tend to gravitate towards media that has this voice. I even base my accent on it, mimicking, as close as possible. Not sure these apps give any sort of voice credits or even how to distinguish, one credit from another, since I am not familiar with Catalan TV or Radios programs, celebrities, presenters, etc. Does anyone know this particular voice and where I can find more of it? Another app or website?

The app is free. I am not promoting it, per say. But the voice is there. Thank you.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.breboucas.catalaoparaviajar

Even though up to this point, I thought it was, from all the resources I have used in the past. 😮‍💨

https://ca.forvo.com/search/Molt/

The above website, sort of coincides with my other post, linked at the very bottom. The website uses clearly pronounced words taken from people reading, I can only assume, news articles, magazines, books, etc. Some seem to be done privately in the home or in a sound booth at the library, while others clearly are more out in the open with others near by. They may not have professional microphones either, so the sound quality varies, but at least they try.

My question is, does anyone know where they get these small readings? Are the snippets taken from whole news articles, magazines, book, etc., readings and just shortened? How are they collected? Is there a main source that houses them? What is the true purpose? To teach Catalan or just for people who want to hear Catalan spoken, like for audio books or the blind, or possibly people who can not read or to keep the language alive in some form?

https://llengua.info/ddcor/main.php

Also, this link above has the different pronunciation of words, across all (main?) Catalan speaking countries. You pick a word from the list, then click on a coloured territory and hear the different pronunciations. Some do not seem to change much, others the vowels could sound different and then some letters are silent, for any number of reasons. Mòlt, for instance, the T is clearly heard in some, while not in others. Mòlta, the T is clearly heard in all of them, although, like both, the O might be slightly different.

And down below, I believe the app I was looking for, which was a Catalan dictionary, used some of these readings, particularly from Forvo (the first link at the very top) or where ever Forvo got theirs from. Does anyone had any insight on this? Thank you.

https://www.reddit.com/r/catalan/comments/1tbpxtb/has_any_heard_of_diccionari_de_la_pron%C3%BAncia/

Real Talk- Apparently, the name of the original movie or at least the crew favorite for Star Trek II, was The Vengeance of Khan.

edit: title mistake, Wraith of Kahn, the sequel...

Would Worf try to catch her? Or would he have finished his Klingon tea first, (poisonous to humans)?

Real Talk: I preferred Dr Pulaski, over Beverly. Rough and gruff around the edges. Basically a female McCoy, right down to her phobia of teleporters. Also, her initial lack of trust or understanding of Data, put a lot of people off.

But she was a no nonsense kind of gal and knew her trade like the back of her hand. And apparently, pulled Riker's father, as well as, a holographic Professor Moriarty. She was a woman of many exquisite tastes and qualities. Her character has one of the best story arcs in only one season, even being very pro Data by the end.

The actress Dianna Muldaur, had been on Star Trek before, albeit making special guest appearances. From my understanding she left, because the main cast wanted the character Beverly Crusher back. I believe Gates briefly left, over creative differences and back stage drama.

So with the feeling of being unwanted, not accustomed to the rigorous scheduling and not fitting in with how the other actors were between takes, mostly fooling around, due to the harsh scheduling, she left. Had she been part of the main cast from day one, maybe it would have been different for her.

I just wished she had at least made a guest appearance on Picard (Niles, I mean Professor Moriarty, made an appearance) or even voiced her character in Star Trek: Online. I hear she does make the occasional Star Trek convention, so that is nice.

It had only been five episodes into Voyager. Was he really that bad?

Edit: I know this is Shitty Daystrom, but scrolling through the comments, I think quite a few people genuinely forget, that Kes was actually twenty-ish, not two, in Ocampa years. You can still argue an age gap, even though that has been normal in human society throughout history. Many people have parents or grandparents with an age gap, for instance, whether they openly discuss it or not.

In fact, in a few short years, Kes would be robbing the cradle with Neelix, had the story progressed, because she would have matured in Ocampa years, well passed his. She wasn't a child on the show, as much as she was ignorant, as apparently, their situation with the caretaker had made most Ocampa. The only real issue is, when had Neelix first met her and truly pursued her. That's where it get's dicey.

For context, had Kes stayed and lived long enough, it took seven years for Voyager to make it home. If she was two (twenty-ish) when they started, she'd be nine (ninety-ish) by the time she got there or possibly was let off some where. If it was the show creators intentions, for the series to last the full seven years, that would have been the entirety of her life. That is something to think about. Or she could have just blown up the whole God damn ship in her aging madness 🤷

Had a Catalan dictionary app on an old phone, a while ago. I no longer have access to that phone and I can no longer find the app on the Google Play Store. Thought maybe I could find an online version. Came across snippets of something similar. However, I can not actually get to the website. Not sure I am searching correctly, as I can not read much Catalan, or it is no longer available or was never actually released? Below is what I found. Does anyone know about this particular website or online dictionary for Catalan? Or something similar? I am primarily looking for Central Catalan, but not opposed to having more dialects on the side. Thank you.

-

For digital Catalan spoken dictionaries, the most comprehensive resource is the Diccionari de la pronúncia catalana (DPC), which features over 750,000 pronunciations verified through usage polls across four major varieties: North Western, Valencian, Central, and Balearic. This dictionary, modeled on the Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, covers literary, scientific, and technological terms, as well as proper names and loanwords.

For online translation and basic pronunciation guides, Cambridge English–Catalan Dictionary and Lexilogos provide accessible tools for translating English to Catalan and understanding phonetic rules. Additionally, the Routledge Bilingual Dictionaries offer a compact 2-way physical dictionary with 18,000 entries per section, including phonetic transcriptions and dialectical variants.

1 January 2005 PHONETIC VARIATION IN CATALAN: THE NEW DICCIONARI DE LA PRONÚNCIA CATALANA (DPC)

The forthcoming Diccionari de la pronúncia catalana (DPC) aims to represent the recommended pronunciations and the pronunciations in common use of the four varieties of Catalan as spoken in Spain, that is, North Western, Valencian, Central, and Balearic. Compiled in collaboration with phoneticians from the Valencian area and the Balearic Islands, it contains about 170,000 entries and over 750,000 pronunciations, more than 10,000 of which have been verified through usage polls. The culmination of over fifteen years’ work, the dictionary is modelled mainly on J.C. Wells’ Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (1990; 2000, 2nd ed.) for English. The DPC includes a full general vocabulary as well as literary, scientific and technological terms (covering computing, law, medicine, and communications), and specific vocabulary of the four Catalan varieties. It also contains Catalan and foreign proper names (people, places, commercial, artistic, etc.), loanwords and neologisms, as well as abbreviations, acronyms, and onomatopoeias. In addition the DPC includes biographical and terminological information relating to the phonetic sciences.

The Diccionari de pronúncia catalana (DPC) is a descriptive pronunciation dictionary for the Catalan language, developed primarily by Joan Julià-Muné and Imma Creus from the University of Lleida. It aims to represent the recommended and common pronunciations of the four main Catalan varieties: North Western, Valencian, Central, and Balearic.

Key features of the DPC include:

Comprehensive Data: The final version contains approximately 170,000 entries and over 750,000 pronunciations, with more than 10,000 verified through usage polls.

Content Scope: It covers general vocabulary, specialized terms (science, law, medicine, technology), proper names (people, places, brands), loanwords, neologisms, acronyms, and onomatopoeias.

Methodology: Modeled after J.C. Wells’ Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, it uses IPA symbols for narrow transcription to assist both native speakers and foreign learners. Access: The dictionary is available online at dpc.udl.cat. [website seems down]

Da Vinci?

Goes to show, people at the top command differently.

Captain Jellico to Counselor Troi - "I prefer a certain... formality on the bridge. I'd appreciate it if you wore a standard uniform when you're on duty."

____________________________________

Mr Grainger to his secretary - "Alright, don't drown it (his drink)! And get that skirt altered!"

"Oh, umm... How much longer, Mr Grainger?"

"Make it shorter!"

Why is it being sold almost three times the cost, particularly the canned vegetables? Why are there not cheaper options on the shelf? It doesn't have to be Del Monte or Goya. And I am still curious, who eats boiled peanuts in a can?

Edit: To add to this, canned vegetables used to be cheaper than an actual dollar at Dollar Tree. Like two for a dollar or seventy-five cents-ish a can, as I recall. So in comparison to some other things, they really jumped in price.

A twelve issue newsletter, about ninjutsu, among other things, all combined into one volume, by Hatsumi Masaaki. Not the greatest quality, but it is readable on the site. There are single issues available, but not the complete twelve, that I am aware of and I am not sure of their quality. Be safe, train intelligently and godspeed on your ninjutsu journey.

https://archive.org/details/tetsuzan-book

I have purposely not given any info like pricing, so it does not affect your judgement. As far as I know, most, if not all, are from China. One says Japan Oata, but still from China...

I am not sure if there are premium versions of said brands, this is just the average everyday, what can be picked up from Asian supermarkets in my area. Quite possibly, a lot of these may be the same brands or farms, just marketed differently.

When I say the best, I mean quality and freshness, good safe food handling practices, little to no using of pesticides, etc. There is no way I can try them all and I do not want to buy a few and still not be satisfied, as these are not cheap, per say. Do you have a top three or five out of all these? Something that is dependable every time? Thank you.

Fuyukinbrand.

Shanyuan.

Family Food.

Reasonable Original.

Blooming Import.

Richin.

Woki (smiling cat with a chef hat). Hocean.

Twin Fish.

AH USA.

TKS.

LDF.

Gong He.

Peony Mark.

TD Fujian Blue Lake Foods.

Roxy.

TKS.

Japan Oata (product of China? Says China).

Kotashima Brand.

Grove Grow Notes.

Joy Luck.

Sailing Brand.

Sha yuan (could be Shanyuan twice, but my auto correct possibly kicked in...).

Asian Taste.

Three Deer Brand.

Tiandu.

And has Picard ever even ordered or drank coffee that we know of? It's always Early Grey, hot. I wonder if the replicators give a random cup or mug for the tea, or it's standard for everyone or he has it preprogrammed for one that suits him. A different mug for each day of the week and possibly morning, afternoon and evening.

Tried to install SimCity 2000 on my more modern PC. I can not play it, except for the Urban Renewal Kit. You can see the multiple screen shots of what the options are.

I download the sc2kfix patch, which says to place the winmm.dll file into the same folder with the .exe I did that, but it did not do me any good.

It is now telling me to select the game from the Windows 95 Start Menu. How am I supposed to do that? I do not have a Windows 95 computer. I apologize for the poor quality pictures. Thank you.

You can not count the failed mission with Sisko. He is a man of focus, commitment, sheer will... I once saw him punch Q in the face on the promenade... with his fist, his fucking fist...

The Dominion could have more easily ruled the Alpha quadrant, with a few hundred thousand clones of Kilana, since most people are not any where near on the same level as Benjamin - Vorta Thot Denier - Sisko.

Did he get plastic surgery to distinguish himself? Or did Gaila copy him? Or did they do a Face Off switch off? Correct and wrong answers only...

This is more a request, but also for anyone who happens to read the original language (Spanish, Portuguese, etc.?) and is of some use. I feel this is part ninjutsu, part military and part survival handbook. I did not go through every page, but what I did, looked decent and nothing too out there in terms of knowledge.

I tried to find an English translation and I can not. Not on Internet Archive or else where. Not even sure there is even an English version available. There is no way I am going to have it translated by Google, paragraph by paragraph.

It does look interesting, though. One of the more interesting books/manuals. Does anyone know if there is an English edition? Even if it is not publicly available, I can at least ask at a book store. But I will need the ISBN book number for the English edition.

I really can not recommend or to say no to this book, since I do not know exactly what is talked about. I can only go by pictures and diagrams. Be safe, train intelligently and godspeed on your ninjutsu journey. Thank you.

https://archive.org/details/gotonpo-monografico_202503

Tried to find a book or manual that was available, without having to sign in and borrow and none could be found. I did find this video, however, which concerning the topic, is probably better than pages trying to explain the techniques.

Regardless, although ninjas did not traditionally use "parkour", I am sure they were great climbers, jumpers and runners- hopping and zipping away from danger.

It's true, you cannot outrun a bullet. But you can outrun the shooter and make them over or under compensate and miss. The harder to aim at, due to juking, the harder to hit. Not to mention, just getting out of harms way entirely, from a mob of pursuers of any kind, is just a good ability to have. Most people can not keep up, especially over obstacles.

And if push comes to shove, attacking, if not head on, then by flanking, the speed, smoothness and unmitigated gall, can catch the enemy unawares, to close the distance to become melee range, throwing distance or even more accurate pistoling.

But parkour is designed to run and evade, not attack. The basics should be learned first, such as rolling and properly landing before any further tricks are attempted. You should also have, at the bare minimum, strengthened wrists and ankles and be able to pull your self up and be able to sprint short distances and run for longer, to gain endurance. Stretch before attempting any of this.

I would also suggest doing it indoors with padding or even outdoors with soft grass or padding as well. Knee, elbow and head protection wouldn't be a bad idea. I know you want to look cool, but writhing on the ground in pain, screaming, or worse yet, still, silent and unconscious, does not look cool.

It should be noted, all these people in the video are professionals and have had months, if not years practicing, are in decent shape for what is needed and looked over the entire course of obstacles before hand, mentally prepared for it and have ZERO foot traffic, probably legally blocking off the area so they could film peacefully.

Add citizens, moving vehicles and wildlife and all of a sudden, that perfect jump you've landed a thousand times, gets screwed up, because someone unexpectedly went left, instead of right or could have simply went straight. Plus in chaos..., yea, just be careful.

Also I'd suggest, doing the Nightcrawler rule, if you can not see where you are going, have no idea how far a drop is or who is where in the area, do not attempt the move, except under extraordinary circumstances...

Thinking you are on the second floor, for any number of reasons, and you can safely land while rolling and then drop four stories down by mistake... Or performing in a public place and crashing into someone because they turned the corner... Or trying to walk climb to the edge of the roof and find out a gutter or a handhold can not hold you... Or worse, has spikes on it to ward off pests... It won't end well for you...

Please do not attempt anything stupid, like doing tricks over gaps with no safety net. Also there is no need to do cartwheels in mid air. Basics is what you need. Any more than that and you are just showing off and increasing the danger of the move and thus escape.

Also, in a high stakes situation, understanding when to move, is just as important as how to move. Are you the main target? Is running going to get you shot? Can you blend into a (chaotic) crowd and go with the flow. Are you feeling lucky? Do you have anyone with you and can they keep up? Kids, grand parents, etc.?

Understanding the difference between concealment and cover. Hiding behind a vehicle door, is concealment. Hiding behind an engine block, is cover. Hiding behind bushes, is concealment. Hiding behind a heavily packed dirt mound or stone slab, is cover. Hiding behind a mail box, is concealment. Hiding behind a telephone pole, is cover. And in the grand scheme of things, nothing is truly bullet proof, just resistant.

Also, is the shooter above you? Are they equipped with standard or extended magazines? Bolt, semi or full auto rifle? Do they have smoke, flash, gas or explosive grenades, to get you where you are currently at or to make you move out into the open to make you an easier target?

Split second decisions can be the difference between life and death. Knowing all possible entrances and exits, even just as a normal routine, is a good habit to get into. Safest place to sit at an establishment, back to the wall facing at least one door. Look at roofs, alleyways, crowds or the lone stranger in the darkness outside. Having other people with you, also changes what is considered "safer" possible routes, exits, cover, etc.

If this is your area or territory? Knowing where all exits lead is great. Bus stops, subways, abandoned buildings. Any unusual routes that could throw a pursuer off? Where can you stash your belongings or someone else, while you whip around to find help and or ambush the pursuer?

Have your keys at the ready, to get into your vehicle and or home. Don't wait to fish them out, while you are standing there practically helpless. Car keys can be held in such a way that they can become "cat-ears" and you can puncture someone's throat, eyes or temples.

With all due respect, certain individuals have a tendency to worry about an attacker, after stopping them, because they look injured and helpless. Escape while you can. Or beat them until they stop making noise or movement, the latter will be worse for a court room, however. But do what you have to do, to survive.

Sorry this was so long. I try to keep it brief and then more ideas come. 😌 Ninjas do not need to do parkour, as some of us simply do not have the stamina, bone density or range of movement to do so. And traditionally, not every ninja was a bad ass. 😉

But all ninjas should be able to defend themselves and others, make sound decisions and blend in and at least know how to roll and break their fall properly. Being in shape is a nice bonus, as well. As always, be safe, train intelligently and godspeed on your ninjutsu journey.

✅This is parkour

https://archive.org/details/Parkour01

❌This is not parkour...

https://youtu.be/6VhnU3\_-KUY?si=RDMCZv9yICC54vwj

Ninjas used blowguns called fukiya. Short, maybe no longer than the length of their scabbard, or even shorter, disguised as a flute and can be hidden in their clothing. Which from my understanding, fukiya can also be used as a breathing tube. Other cultures used much longer tubes, some times the length of a man or even longer. But they could not transport them as easily.

This book talks about making both the blowguns, the darts themselves and technique. It also talks about using toxins, to facilitate the damage. Toxicology can be as dangerous to the wielder, as to the target. A slip or a scratch or not knowing what you are doing and using proper precautions, can screw you over. Not to mention family members and pets ignorantly finding the solution or ingredients of said solution.

A blowgun is not a toy. It is a tool, much like any other. It has it's advantages and disadvantages. Quiet. Deadly. Cheap. If practicing, make sure no one else is in the vicinity, especially around the sides and behind the target. Be aware of neighbors yards, any children's and animals in the area, etc.

I suppose these could be used inside, with the proper precautions of the entire target wall protected, maybe the ceiling and floor directly over and under it. As well, as what ever room has a door and locked, so no one pokes their head in unannounced. Stay safe, train intelligently and godspeed on your ninjutsu journey.

https://archive.org/details/Blowguns_The_Breath_of_Death_Michael_Janich_Paladin_Press

I believe this is a guide for starting a ninjutsu school or what a school would expect from it's students and should be treated as such. There is a lot of good info, especially basic things, not always dealt with in other publications, such as diet, stretching and other tips, although not necessarily going in depth.

While there are also a lot of odd things mentioned in this book, as well. Like ninjas using karate and it doesn't feel like a blanket term. Also, I am not sure how I feel about ninjutsu using a belt system, or how quick it is to achieve each rank. The writer may be from a different country or background and thus some terms may feel foreign to others.

Tips on fighting, should not be taken lightly. Don't put yourself in that situation to begin with. Always try to avoid, talk your way out of or even retreat from trouble if you can. Killing or seriously maiming someone is no joke, especially over something stupid and easily avoidable.

Talking about hiding in the shadows is less doable, then in the past. Decades old tech can see in the dark easily. Thermals can see you. Cameras, hidden or otherwise, can easily record your every move and data can be shared. Even if completely disguised, they can track your gait, height, etc and use a database world wide even. Not that every camera is high tech, but assume it is. Not that every person has night vision, but assume at least one in the group does and definitely has flashlights to come looking for you.

What is described about fleeing after an encounter, is up to you. Cameras are every where these days, plus people are always recording. However, the logic of leaving immediately is sound, as you do not want any of their friends to show up or the crowd blaming you and turning into vigilantes, even if you were in the right. And you do not want to be tracked back to where ever you are going. An angry mob is uncontrollable and you will not stand a chance.

I went a bit dark here, but the book talks about certain subjects beyond what a normal martial art class room would. As kids, we dressed up as, pretended to be and wish we could be ninjas. As adults, you can at least train to be one, but certain elements of the craft, are not only dangerous to others, but yourself. Weapons, techniques, even "dark powder" and "dark secrets" can be dangerous and too tempting to use, when there are other less destructive paths that can be taken.

As such, you should understand that there are serious consequences to any action you perform. You have to know the laws of the area and have common sense and street smarts. Legally owning a gun, does not mean you can necessarily own a shuriken or nunchaku, for instance, no matter how backwards that may be. Be safe, train intelligently and godspeed on your ninjutsu journey.

https://archive.org/details/ninja-training-guide