Why Fossilized Shark Teeth Are Black

Shark teeth are made up of calcium phosphate, which is the mineral apatite. Although shark teeth are sturdier than the cartilage that makes up their skeleton, the teeth still disintegrate over time unless they are fossilized. This is why you rarely find white shark teeth on a beach. Shark teeth are preserved if the tooth is buried, which prevents decomposition by oxygen and bacteria. Shark teeth buried in sediments absorb surrounding minerals, turning them from a normal whitish tooth color to a deeper color, usually black, gray, or tan. The fossilization process takes at least 10,000 years, although some fossil sharks teeth are millions of years old! Fossils are old, but you cant tell the approximate age of a shark tooth simply by its color because the color (black, gray, brown) depends completely on the chemical composition of the sediment that replaced the calcium during the fossilization process. How to  Find Shark Teeth Why would you want to find shark teeth? Some of them are valuable, plus they can be used to make interesting jewelry or to start a collection. Plus, theres a chance youll find a tooth from a predator that lived 10 to 50 million years ago! While its possible to find teeth just about anywhere, your best bet is to search at a beach. I live in Myrtle Beach, so every time I go to the shore I look for teeth. At this beach, most of the teeth are black because of the chemical composition of the sediment offshore. At other beaches, fossilized teeth may be gray or brown or slightly green. Once you find the first tooth, youll know what color to seek. Of course, theres always a chance youll find a white shark tooth, but these are much harder to see against shells and sand. If youve never looked for shark teeth before, start out looking for black pointy objects. If the teeth are black, there will also be some black shell fragments that resemble shark teeth.  How do you know if its a shell or a tooth? Dry off your find and hold it up to the light. Even though a tooth could be millions of years old, it will still look glossy in the light. A shell, on the other hand, will show ripples from its growth and maybe some iridescence. Most shark teeth also maintain some of their structure. Look for a cutting edge along the edge of the blade (flat part) of the tooth, which may still have ridges. Thats a dead giveaway youve scored a shark tooth. A tooth may also have an intact root, which tends to be less shiny than the blade. Teeth come in a variety of shapes. Some are triangular, but others are needle-like. Good places to start are at the waterline, where the waves can help reveal the teeth, or by inspecting or sifting through a pile of shells. Keep in mind, the size of the teeth you can find is usually similar to the size of surrounding debris. While its possible to find a giant Megalodon tooth in the sand, large teeth like this are most often found near similar-sized rocks or shells.

The Film of Nixon Essays - 2099 Words

The Film of Nixon In an adventure though time, one of the great moments to look at is, the Nixon era in American history. He was the president of the United States of America (U.S.A). He led the U.S.A in cover ups, war, lies, and so much more. One of the best ways to see what he was like is the movie of Nixon. It accurately covers most of the events in Nixons life as president. This will explain the movie, eight points from the movie that are unlawful and/or unconstitutional, how this movie affected me, and what I think of the movie. Now without further due, Turn off your cell phone, quite down, the movies about to begin. To start off the summary of the movie Nixon, does not apologize for Nixon, and holds him accountable for the†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"When you quit struggling, theyve beaten you† (Nixon), his father says. And his mother speaking in the Quaker tradition of thees and thous, seems always to hold him to a higher standard than he can hope to reach. One theme throughout the film is Nixons envy of Kennedy and Lincoln. He judges his entire life in terms of his nemesis. He on Kennedys 1960 campaign: â€Å"All my life hes been sticking it to me. Now he steals from me† (Nixon). He is bitter at not being invited by Kennedys family to Kennedys funeral, reflecting half-enviously: â€Å"If Id been president, they never would have killed me† (Nixon). He, alone at the end, speaking to the portrait of Kennedy: â€Å"When they look at you, they see what they want to be. When they look at me, they see what they are† (Nixon). When Nixon ponders a cover-up of the tapes, it is Haig who raises the possibility that backup copies might surface. Notice the precision of his wording: â€Å"I know for a fact that its possible that there was another tape† (Nixon). Joan Allen as Pat Nixon, she emerges as strong-willed and clear-eyed, a truth-teller who sees through Nixons masks and evasions. She is sick of being a politicians wif e. She supplies the conscience. The first unlawful act in the movie is an over powerful branch. See, all three of the branches of government (legislative, judicial, and the executive) areShow MoreRelatedThe Film of Nixon558 Words   |  2 PagesThe Film of Nixon In an adventure though time, one of the great moments to look at is, the Nixon era in American history. He was the president of the United States of America (U.S.A). He lead the U.S.A in cover ups, war, lies, and so much more. One of the best way to see what he was like is the movie of Nixon. It accurately covers most of the events in Nixons life as president. This will explain the movie, eight points from the movie that are unlawful and/or unconstitutional, how this movie affectedRead MoreThe Nixon Library And The Library1198 Words   |  5 PagesThe Nixon Library is more than just a library alongside the deceased presidents’ name on the wall. The library seemed more like a museum that has sheltered audio and visual displays narrating Richard Nixon’s life throughout the years. The museum is located in the core of the residential city of Yorba Linda, California. The actual location of the library was undisputed when it was being created. It is located on the grounds o f Nixon’s first home. The library opened its doors in 1990 as a privatelyRead MoreFilm Analysis Of All The Presidents Men1270 Words   |  6 PagesPresident s Men All the President s Men, the 1976 film directed by Alan J. Pakula, is a detective thriller that portrays the story behind the Washington Post reporter s Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein s Pulitzer Prize winning relentless pursuit of the Watergate conspiracy. It initially started as a local burglary story and eventually led to the resignation of President Nixon. Over 40 years after Nixon s resignation, the Academy Award winning film was shown on July 14, 2017, at the Paramount TheaterRead MoreAll The President s Men1140 Words   |  5 Pagesseen as an historical document describing journalism during the 70’s. Along with this, we learn how paranoia affects individuals and the publishing process. The film also gives us some insight on how American institutions such as newspapers and the government are viewed. Some opinions vary, due to paranoia or belief in a conspiracy. The film covers the major political scandal known as Watergate, and the subsequent investigation and reporting through Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. The Watergate break-inRead MoreAll The President s Men1718 Words   |  7 Pagesa President has abused public trust, presidential power, and deliberately obstructed justice. President Richard Nixon had committed and attempted to cover up those illegal activities through harassment, impediment, and denial; however, Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncovered details of the Watergate scandal and revealed them to the public. In the 1976 film â€Å"All the President’s Men†, the plot successfully follows the major chronological timeline of events and authenticRead MoreMovie Review : Norma Rae904 Words   |  4 PagesPolitics on Film Anna Airapetova Third reaction paper 4/12/15 Norma Rae Norma Rae – is an American drama of 1979 directed by Martin Ritt, which I saw as a strong and vital film. The whole idea of the movie is shown in it’s slogan:  «The story of a woman with the courage to risk everything for what she believes is right ». Movie is filmed believable and realistic, and this story really touches everyone. We see how regular people, like all us, are working hard from early morning to night in a textileRead MoreFilm Critique of All the Presidents Men1541 Words   |  7 Pagescalled the movie, an unequivocal smash-hitÂâ€"the thinking mans Jaws. Because the film is written from the perspective of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the movie works as a blockbuster, and not just a documentary. The script was written in such a way that the historical information (dates, names, and events) is recorded, but does not confuse and interfere with the message the director is trying to portray. The film opens with actual footage of Nixons helicopter landing and then him addressingRead MoreNixon Vs. President Richard M. Nixon1304 Words   |  6 PagesTrace Haven Mrs. Molzahn American Literature May 17, 2017 Nixon vs. People   Ã‚  Ã‚   President Richard M. Nixon once said, â€Å" I can see clearly now†¦ that I was wrong in not acting more decisively and more forthrightly in dealing with Watergate† (Watergate Quotes). The Watergate scandal began when five men attempted to break into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate Complex. The government had to create an act in order to have the right to view all surveillance footageRead More Film Critique of All the Presidents Men Essay1497 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"an unequivocal smash-hit—the thinking man’s Jaws.† Because the film is written from the perspective of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the movie works as a blockbuster, and not just a documentary. The script was written in such a way that the historical information (dates, names, and events) is recorded, but does not confuse and interfere with the message the director is trying to portray. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The film opens with actual footage of Nixon’s helicopter landing and thenRead MoreButch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid1190 Words   |  5 PagesThe film received mostly negative reviews but became a success throughout the public. Eventually the National Film Preservation Board deemed the film culturally and artistically significant and it’s central themes and heros resonated with the youth movement of the time. The importance of the movie is what it came to represent to the people who saw it. While the director, George Roy Hill used the chase of the main characters to add more action and fiction to the historical aspects of the film, the

Foundation and Empire 16. Conference Free Essays

When the twenty-seven independent Trading worlds, united only by their distrust of the mother planet of the Foundation, concert an assembly among themselves, and each is big with a pride grown of its smallness, hardened by its own insularity and embittered by eternal danger – there are preliminary negotiations to be overcome of a pettiness sufficiently staggering to heartsicken the most persevering. It is not enough to fix in advance such details as methods of voting, type of representation – whether by world or by population. These are matters of involved political importance. We will write a custom essay sample on Foundation and Empire 16. Conference or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is not enough to fix matters of priority at the table, both council and dinner, those are matters of involved social importance. It was the place of meeting – since that was a matter of overpowering provincialism. And in the end the devious routes of diplomacy led to the world of Radole, which some commentators had suggested at the start for logical reason of central position. Radole was a small world – and, in military potential, perhaps the weakest of the twenty-seven. That, by the way, was another factor in the logic of the choice. It was a ribbon world – of which the Galaxy boasts sufficient, but among which, the inhabited variety is a rarity for the physical requirements are difficult to meet. It was a world, in other words, where the two halves face the monotonous extremes of heat and cold, while the region of possible life is the girdling ribbon of the twilight zone. Such a world invariably sounds uninviting to those who have not tried it, but there exist spots, strategically placed – and Radole City was located in such a one. It spread along the soft slopes of the foothills before the hacked-out mountains that backed it along the rim of the cold hemisphere and held off the frightful ice. The warm, dry air of the sun-half spilled over, and from the mountains was piped the water-and between the two, Radole City became a continuous garden, swimming in the eternal morning of an eternal June. Each house nestled among its flower garden, open to the fangless elements. Each garden was a horticultural forcing ground, where luxury plants grew in fantastic patterns for the sake of the foreign exchange they brought – until Radole had almost become a producing world, rather than a typical Trading world. So, in its way, Radole City was a little point of softness and luxury on a horrible planet – a tiny scrap of Eden – and that, too, was a factor in the logic of the choice. The strangers came from each of the twenty-six other Trading worlds: delegates, wives, secretaries, newsmen, ships, and crews – and Radole’s population nearly doubled and Radole’s resources strained themselves to the limit. One ate at will, and drank at will, and slept not at all. Yet there were few among the roisterers who were not intensely aware that all that volume of the Galaxy burnt slowly in a sort of quiet, slumbrous war. And of those who were aware, there were dime classes. First, there were the many who knew little and were very confident. Such as the young space pilot who wore the Haven cockade on the clasp of his cap, and who managed, in holding his glass before his eyes, to catch those of the faintly smiling Radolian girl opposite. He was saying: â€Å"We came fight through the war-zone to get here-on purpose. We traveled about a light-minute or so, in neutral, right past Horleggor-â€Å" â€Å"Horleggor?† broke in a long-legged native, who was playing host to that particular gathering. â€Å"That’s where the Mule got the guts beat out of him last week, wasn’t it?† â€Å"Where’d you hear that the Mule got the guts beat out of him?† demanded the pilot, loftily. â€Å"Foundation radio.† â€Å"Yeah? Well, the Mule’s got Horleggor. We almost ran into a convoy of his ships, and that’s where they were coming from. It isn’t a gut-beating when you stay where you fought, and the gut-beater leaves in a hurry.† Someone else said in a high, blurred voice, â€Å"Don’t talk like that. Foundation always takes it on the chin for a while. You watch; just sit tight and watch. Ol’ Foundation knows when to come back. And then – pow!† The thick voice concluded and was succeeded by a bleary grin. â€Å"Anyway.† said the pilot from Haven, after a short pause, â€Å"As I say, we saw the Mule’s ships, and they looked pretty good, pretty good. I tell you what – they looked new.† â€Å"New?† said the native, thoughtfully. â€Å"They build them themselves?† He broke a leaf from an overhanging branch, sniffed delicately at it, then crunched it between his teeth, the bruised tissues bleeding greenly and diffusing a minty odor. He said, â€Å"You trying to tell me they beat Foundation ships with homebuilt jobs? Go on.† â€Å"We saw them, doc. And I can tell a ship from a comet, too, you know.† The native leaned close. â€Å"You know what I think. Listen, don’t kid yourself. Wars don’t just start by themselves, and we have a bunch of shrewd apples running things. They know what they’re doing.† The well-unthirsted one said with sudden loudness, â€Å"You watch ol’ Foundation. They wait for the last minute, then – pow!† He grinned with vacuously open mouth at the girl, who moved away from him. The Radolian was saying, â€Å"For instance, old man, you think maybe that this Mule guy’s running things. No-o-o.† And he wagged a finger horizontally. â€Å"The way I hear it, and from pretty high up, mind you, he’s our boy. We’re paying him off, and we probably built those ships. Let’s be realistic about it – we probably did. Sure, he can’t beat the Foundation in the long run, but he can get them shaky, and when he does – we get in.† The girl said, â€Å"Is that all you can talk about, Klev? The war? You make me tired.† The pilot from Haven said, in an access of gallantry, â€Å"Change the subject. Can’t make the girls tired.† The bedewed one took up the refrain and banged a mug to the rhythm. The little groups of two that had formed broke up with giggles and swagger, and a few similar groups of twos emerged from the sun-house in the background. The conversation became more general, more varied, more meaningless. Then there were those who knew a little more and were less confident. Such as the one-armed Fran, whose large bulk represented Haven as official delegated, and who lived high in consequence, and cultivated new friendships – with women when he could and with men when he had to. It was on the sun platform of the hilltop home, of one of these new friends, that he relaxed for the first of what eventually proved to be a total of two times while on Radole. The new friend was Iwo Lyon, a kindred soul of Radole. Iwo’s house was apart from the general cluster, apparently alone in a sea of floral perfume and insect chatter. The sun platform was a grassy strip of lawn set at a forty-five degree angle, and upon it Fran stretched out and fairly sopped up sun. He said, â€Å"Don’t have anything like this on Haven.† Iwo replied, sleepily, â€Å"Ever seen the cold side. There’s a spot twenty miles from here where the oxygen runs like water. â€Å" â€Å"Go on. â€Å"Fact.† â€Å"Well, I’ll tell you, Iwo-In the old days before my arm was chewed off I knocked around, see – and you won’t believe this, but† – The story that followed lasted considerably, and Iwo didn’t believe it. Iwo said, through yawns, â€Å"They don’t make them like in the old days, that’s the truth.† â€Å"No, guess they don’t. Well, now,† Fran fired up, â€Å"don’t say that. I told you about my son, didn’t I? He’s one of the old school, if you like. He’ll make a great Trader, blast it. He’s his old man up and down. Up and down, except that he gets married.† â€Å"You mean legal contract? With a girl?† â€Å"That’s right. Don’t see the sense in it myself. They went to Kalgan for their honeymoon.† â€Å"Kalgan? Kalgan? When the Galaxy was this?† Fran smiled broadly, and said with slow meaning, â€Å"Just before the Mule declared war on the Foundation.† â€Å"That so?† Fran nodded and motioned Iwo closer with his head. He said, hoarsely, â€Å"In fact, I can tell you something, if you don’t let it go any further. My boy was sent to Kalgan for a purpose. Now I wouldn’t like to let it out, you know, just what the purpose was, naturally, but you look at the situation now, and I suppose you can make a pretty good guess. In any case, my boy was the man for the job. We Traders needed some sort of ruckus.† He smiled, craftily. â€Å"It’s here. I’m not saying how we did it, but – my boy went to Kalgan, and the Mule sent out his ships. My son!† Iwo was duly impressed. He grew confidential in his turn, â€Å"That’s good. You know, they say we’ve got five hundred ships ready to pitch in on our own at the right time. â€Å" Fran said authoritatively, â€Å"More than that, maybe. This is real strategy. This is the kind I like.† He clawed loudly at the skin of his abdomen. â€Å"But don’t you forget that the Mule is a smart boy, too. What happened at Horleggor worries me.† â€Å"I heard he lost about ten ships.† â€Å"Sure, but he had a hundred more, and the Foundation had to get out. It’s all to the good to have those tyrants beaten, but not as quickly as all that.† He shook his head. â€Å"The question I ask is where does the Mule get his ships? There’s a widespread rumor we’re making them for him.† â€Å"We? The Traders? Haven has the biggest ship factories anywhere in the independent worlds, and we haven’t made one for anyone but ourselves. Do you suppose any world is building a fleet for the Mule on its own, without taking the precaution of united action? That’s a†¦ a fairy tale.† â€Å"Well, where does he get them?† And Fran shrugged, â€Å"Makes them himself, I suppose. That worries me, too.† Fran blinked at the sun and curled his toes about the smooth wood of the polished foot-rest. Slowly, he fell asleep and the soft burr of his breathing mingled with the insect sibilance. Lastly, there were the very few who knew considerable and were not confident at all. Such as Randu, who on the fifth day of the all-Trader convention entered the Central Hall and found the two men he had asked to be there, waiting for him. The five hundred seats were empty – and were going to stay so. Randu said quickly, almost before he sat down, â€Å"We three represent about half the military potential of the Independent Trading Worlds.† â€Å"Yes,† said Mangin of Iss, â€Å"my colleague and I have already commented upon the fact.† â€Å"I am ready,† said Randu, â€Å"to speak quickly and earnestly. I am not interested in bargaining or subtlety. Our position is radically in the worse.† â€Å"As a result of-† urged Ovall Gri of Mnemon. â€Å"Of developments of the last hour. Please! From the beginning. First, our position is not of our doing, and but doubtfully of our control. Our original dealings were not with the Mule, but with several others; notably the ex-warlord of Kalgan, whom the Mule defeated at a most inconvenient time for us.† â€Å"Yes, but this Mule is a worthy substitute,† said Mangin. â€Å"I do not cavil at details.† â€Å"You may when you know all the details.† Randu leaned forward and placed his hands upon the table palms-up in an obvious gesture. He said, â€Å"A month ago I sent my nephew and my nephew’s wife to Kalgan.† â€Å"Your nephew!† cried Ovall Gri, in surprise. â€Å"I did not know he was your nephew.† â€Å"With what purpose,† asked Mangin, dryly. â€Å"This?† And his thumb drew an inclusive circle high in the air. â€Å"No. If you mean the Mule’s war on the Foundation, no. How could I aim so high? The young man knew nothing – neither of our organization nor of our aims. He was told I was a minor member of an intra-Haven patriotic society, and his function at Kalgan was nothing but that of an amateur observer. My motives were, I must admit, rather obscure. Mainly, I was curious about the Mule. He is a strange phenomenon – but that’s a chewed cud; I’ll not go into it. Secondly, it would make an interesting and educational training project for a man who had experience with the Foundation and the Foundation underground and showed promise of future usefulness to us. You see-â€Å" Ovall’s long face fell into vertical lines as he showed his large teeth, â€Å"You must have been surprised at the outcome, then, since there is not a world among the Traders, I believe, that does not know that this nephew of yours abducted a Mule underling in the name of the Foundation and furnished the Mule with a casus belli. Galaxy, Randu, you spin romances. I find it hard to believe you had no hand in that. Come, it was a skillful job.† Randu shook his white head, â€Å"Not of my doing. Nor, willfully, of my nephew’s, who is now held prisoner at the Foundation, and may not live to see the completion of this so-skillful job. I have just heard from him. The Personal Capsule has been smuggled out somehow, come through the war zone, gone to Haven, and traveled from there to here. It has been a month on its travels.† â€Å"And?-â€Å" Randu leaned a heavy hand upon the heel of his palm and said, sadly, â€Å"I’m afraid we are cast for the same role that the onetime warlord of Kalgan played. The Mule is a mutant!† There was a momentary qualm; a faint impression of quickened heartbeats. Randu might easily have imagined it. When Mangin spoke, the evenness of his voice was unchanged, â€Å"How do you know?† â€Å"Only because my nephew says so, but he was on Kalgan. â€Å"What kind of a mutant? There are all kinds, you know.† Randu forced the rising impatience down, â€Å"All kinds of mutants, yes, Mangin. All kinds! But only one kind of Mule. What kind of a mutant would start as an unknown, assemble an army, establish, they say, a five-mile asteroid as original base, capture a planet, then a system, then a region – and then attack the Foundation, and defeat them at Horleggor. And all in two or three years!† Ovall Gri shrugged, â€Å"So you think he’ll beat the Foundation?† â€Å"I don’t know. Suppose he does?† â€Å"Sorry, I can’t go that far. You don’t beat the Foundation. Look, there’s not a new fact we have to go on except for the statements of a†¦ well, of an inexperienced boy. Suppose we shelve it for a while. With all the Mule’s victories, we weren’t worried until now, and unless he goes a good deal further than he has, I see no reason to change that. Yes?† Randu frowned and despaired at the cobweb texture of his argument. He said to both, â€Å"Have we yet made any contact with the Mule?† â€Å"No,† both answered. â€Å"It’s true, though, that we’ve tried, isn’t it? It’s true that there’s not much purpose to our meeting unless we do reach him, isn’t it? It’s true that so far there’s been more drinking than thinking, and more wooing than doing – I quote from an editorial in today’s Radole Tribune – and all because we can’t reach the Mule. Gentlemen, we have nearly a thousand ships waiting to be thrown into the fight at the proper moment to seize control of the Foundation. I say we should change that. I say, throw those thousand onto the board now – against the Mule.† â€Å"You mean for the Tyrant Indbur and the bloodsuckers of the Foundation?† demanded Mangin, with quiet venom. Randu raised a weary hand, â€Å"Spare me the adjectives. Against the Mule, I say, and for I-don’t-care-who.† Ovall Gri rose, â€Å"Randu, I’ll have nothing to do with that, You present it to the full council tonight if you particularly hunger for political suicide.† He left without another word and Mangin followed silently, leaving Randu to drag out a lonely hour of endless, insoluble consideration. At the full council that night, he said nothing. But it was Ovall Gri who pushed into his room the next morning; an Ovall Gri only sketchily dressed and who had neither shaved nor combed his hair. Randu stared at him over a yet-uncleared breakfast table with an astonishment sufficiently open and strenuous to cause him to drop his pipe. Ovall said baldly, harshly. â€Å"Mnemon has been bombarded from space by treacherous attack.† Randu’s eyes narrowed, â€Å"The Foundation?† â€Å"The Mule!† exploded Ovall. â€Å"The Mule!† His words raced, â€Å"It was unprovoked and deliberate. Most of our fleet had joined the international flotilla. The few left as Home Squadron were insufficient and were blown out of the sky. There have been no landings yet, and there may not be, for half the attackers are reported destroyed – but it is war – and I have come to ask how Haven stands on the matter.† â€Å"Haven, I am sure, will adhere to the spirit of the Charter of Federation. But, you see? He attacks us as well.† â€Å"This Mule is a madman. Can he defeat the universe?† He faltered and sat down to seize Randu’s wrist, â€Å"Our few survivors have reported the Mule’s poss†¦ enemy’s possession of a new weapon. A nuclear-field depressor.† â€Å"A what?† Ovall said, â€Å"Most of our ships were lost because their nuclear weapons failed them. It could not have happened by either accident or sabotage. It must have been a weapon of the Mule. It didn’t work perfectly; the effect was intermittent; there were ways to neutralize – my dispatches are not detailed. But you see that such a tool would change the nature of war and, possibly, make our entire fleet obsolete.† Randu felt an old, old man. His face sagged hopelessly, â€Å"I am afraid a monster is grown that will devour all of us. Yet we must fight him.† How to cite Foundation and Empire 16. Conference, Essay examples

Issey Ogata as funny as Japan gets Essay Example For Students

Issey Ogata: as funny as Japan gets Essay The theatre writers in Tokyos English newspapers started to call Issey Ogata a Japanese Woody Allen nine months ago, when he began the build-up to his American debut in New York. Ever since his first special show for an English-speaking audience last winter in Kyoto brought down the house, the comparison-makers have been busy trying to find familiar angles that will help Ogatas New York audiences appreciate the verve and artistry of this beloved Everyman with a Thousand Faces who may be Japans most versatile and gifted comedian. Hes not Woody Allen, though some of his 200 characterslike the salary-man who cant remember his name and tries to rediscover his identity by looking through car license numbers in the parking lot and business cards in his pocketdo fit the early Allen mold of stressed-out urbanites disoriented by technology, computers, even simple arithmetic. Another easy comparison is with Garrison Keillor, for Ogata has created enough eccentric but thoroughly believable souls to populate an entire small comic universe. Other comparisons will surely abound, as Ogata gets ready to brave the Big Apple in three performances of his one-man show A Catalogue of City Life at the Japan Society Sept. 30-Oct. 2, and perhaps (with the aid of a headset translation system, using English texts by Jonah Salz of the NOHO Theater Group, and narrated by Mark Laurence Cole) become the first Japanese solo performer to make it overseas. The essence of Ogatas comedy is hard to capture because it belongs to the spirit of a vanishing tradition in which the art of the comedian was to create a variety of characters who were unusual enough to be laughable, yet plain and human enough to draw sympathy and understandingand thereby give comedy its classic medicinal value, its glimpses of the deep, sad truth under all the jokes. The rarest kind of actor Theres no way to define Ogata. Take a liter each of Chaplin, Sellers, Ernie Kovacs, Robin Williams and whoever else cracks you up the most, mix at dizzying speed in a very flexible container, and let it serve itself. Hes an anomaly in Japan, too. Unlike American actors, who can move freely from one show and cast to the next, actors in group-centered Japan can spend decades, even an entire career, in the same gekidan, and accept (or endure) the guidance (or tyranny) of a powerful artistic director. An unattached actor, like a ronina masterless samuraiis rare. An actor who doesnt try or even wish to fit in, but confidently makes up his own voice as he goes along, is rarer still. And an actor who writes and paints as well as he plays, and passes up countless chances in film and TV to work on stage, is the rarest of all. Ogata was born in 1952 in the southern city of Fukuoka, went to Tokyo at 19 and soon met director Yuzo Morita, whos been his main creative partner ever since. This Beckettian pairthe tiger of a former actor, incapacitated in one leg and unable to move as he once did, and the chameleon who needs a longer eye to find the next branch or butterflyworked on several stage plays, then created their first program of one-character sketches in 1981. A new field of opportunity opened up after Ogata won the gold medal on a TV comedy competition, A Comedian Is Born. Hes been prolific ever since, acting mostly on stage and publishing collections of scripts and short stories. His usual program consists of half a dozen sketches, each five to thirty minutes long. The best characters in his growing repertoirethe cabaret manager trying to train an inept staff, the fake scout for a modeling agency, the nervous father who tries so hard to make his family enjoy their vacation that he drives them all up the shoji, the cheating husband who wants to break with his mistress, but hasnt the fiber to do itare all so cleanly chiseled, so utterly convincing that hes built a loyal audience, especially among younger Japanese who are bored with the usual electric toyshop of todays Japanese entertainment. .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 , .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 .postImageUrl , .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 , .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28:hover , .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28:visited , .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28:active { border:0!important; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28:active , .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28 .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf38c18b040f67d1bffdcd7f2b5788a28:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: From the Bowery to Broadway: Lew Fields and the Roots of American Popular Culture EssayEarnest souls with heart and humor to spare Much of the fun is in the sheer simplicity of Ogatas act. He plays each piece with minimal props and furniture under plain, abstract lighting. At stage right are a coat rack, table and mirror where the actor changes, drawing a new character with a stroke of his comb and a change of his coat. Ogatas signature characters are the ones who never quite see how much of the quirky truth about themselves theyre giving away, whose honest efforts to solve bizarre problems with little or no help from anyone else reveal more loneliness and confusion than they imagine. These are earnest souls who find the heart and humor to keep going in a world that isnt really hostile, but does seem to get increasingly complicated and strange. Issey Ogatas characters may be typically Japanese, yet audiences in New York, and next spring in France and Germany, are about to discover that ordinary Japanese can be universally recognizable and lovableand far goofier than anyone imagined.