




Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 12:31:27 -0400 (AST)
From: DLister891 <DLister891@aol.com>
Subject: Origins of Paper

 In her posting yesterday (12th December 1997), Janet Hamilton asked if the
 original purpose of paper was for clothing.

 While we cannot be sure that the very first use for paper was clothing, it was
 certainly one of the earliest uses. I think I can do no better than quote
 extracts from my two articles on "Paper, Its Nature and Origins", which
 appeared in British Origami, numbers 183 and 184 for April and June 1997. I
 hope that they will dispel some of the misconcetions which surround the
 invention of paper by the Chinese, and especially that they will clarify the
 date of invention of paper.

                              ------------------------------------------------
 ---------------------------------

 Extract 1:  from British Origami 183, April, 1997.

     Cloth is made by one of three basic techniques. One technique is
 knitting, where the rows of thread are looped to one another. Weaving is
 another technique in which two rows of threads, usually at right angles are
 enmeshed together in that under and over technique which is so very familiar.
 Neither of these two ways of making cloth has anything to do with paper-
 making. The third type of cloth  is felt, which is made by a technique where
 there are no twisted threads and where the fibres merely adhere to each other.
 Felt is usually made under pressure. The threads may adhere to each other
 unaided and merely by reason of the roughness of the fibres, as do wool
 fibres, or they may, like paper, be helped by a size. Familiar sorts of felt
 are used for making hats and for cheap kinds of baize for card tables. One of
 the virtues of felt is that is can be moulded to make shapes like hats. Paper,
 too is a kind of felt. And some papers are still used today, like knitted or
 woven cloth, for clothing. The transition from felt to paper is a gradual one
 and there are felt-like papers and paper-like felts. It is useful to bear this
 in mind when considering the origins and history of paper-making.

 Extract 2:  from British Origami 184, June 1997.

 I referred to one or t
d:

    While Egyptian papyrus and Central American and Polynesian writing
 surfaces may not universally be considered to come within the definition of
 "paper", people are generally aware of the invention of paper by the Chinese.
 Most references credit the discovery of paper to Tsai Lun in 105 AD. Tsai
 Lun was certainly important in the development of paper, but its original
 invention in China antedated him by some two hundred years. The oldest
 surviving piece of Chinese paper was discovered in a tomb in 1957. It measures
 four inches square and has been dated to between the years 140 and 87 BC. The
 paper was made from hemp fibres pounded to a pulp and then laid out to dry on
 a mat of fabric. The paper was of rough quality and hardly suitable for
 writing. It was, in fact, a kind of felt, more like fabric than paper and was
 used for clothing, wrapping and also, it is said, for "personal hygiene"
 .Paper continued to be used for clothing by the Chinese and a paper hat, a
 paper belt and a paper shoe dating from 418 AD were recently excavated at
 Turfan in Central Asia. (There is no indication that the paper hat was made by
 the techniques of modern origami!)

     Although we do not know what sort of paper was envisaged, the Chinese
 word for paper appears in a dictionary published in AD 69, and paper capable
 of being  written upon seems to have been developed by this time. The oldest
 surviving piece of paper with writing upon it was discovered in the ruins of a
 watchtower near Chu-yen in 1942. It bears about twenty-four readable
 characters. Since the date the watchtower was abandoned is known, the piece of
 paper can be dated to 110 AD. The fact that it was discovered in such a
 mundane building as a watchtower and not in a palace or an administrative
 building is an indication that by that time the use of paper for writing must
 have already been quite widespread.

     Despite this, long tradition ascribes the invention of paper to Tsai Lun
 who was a Chinese court official. The truth seems to be that while he did not
t. In 75
 AD, he was appointed to be  chamberlain to the Imperial Court. Two years later
 the Emperor Chang died prematurely and Tsai Lun was entrusted with the
 political education of his son the young emperor, Ho, then ten years old. This
 office placed Tsai Lun in a position of considerable governmental authority
 and among his responsibilities was supervision of the Imperial Library, where
 he found that there was an urgent need for a more efficient way of recording
 writing. One writing medium used at the time was strips of carved bamboo, but
 they were very clumsy and took up considerable space. Silk fabric was also
 used, but it, too, was far from satisfactory. It came to Tsai Luns notice
 that craftsmen had been experimenting in an effort to make a  paper suitable
 for writing. So far, they had made progress, but the results of their efforts
 were  far from perfect.

     Seeing the potentiality of paper as a surface for writing, Tsai Lun took
 charge of the experiments and worked intently for several years, experimenting
 with pulp made from silk, from linen, from hemp, bamboo, reeds, rags and other
 materials. He finally hit upon a pulp made from the beaten and separated
 fibres of the mulberry tree. The paper made in this way was good for writing
 and with Tsai Luns encouragement, it began to be used at court and by the
 Chinese bureaucratic system. It seems, therefore that while he did not invent
 paper and while, indeed, inferior papers had previously been used for writing,
 Tsai Lun must be credited with the invention writing paper in its modern
 sense.

     We have no record whatsoever that the Chinese were the first to fold
 paper in our own meaning of "paperfolding", but neither is there any evidence
 that they did not. It seems reasonable to suppose that having invented a fine
 paper, they would be the first to fold it, even if only for practical
 purposes, or simply because the first thing anyone does when he has a scrap of
 paper in his hand is to twist or  fold it.  It is often suggested that there
 could be

 commodity. But even when paper was very costly, there would still have been
 off-cuts and waste which would be available to play with. While we do not have
 any early examples of paperfolding in the strict sense, from China, there are
 in the British Museum several artificial flowers of folded and cut paper which
 were found in Tunhuang during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD).They are
 delicately constructed and apparently made from thin paper.

     From China, paper passed to Japan, but not until nearly five hundred
 years later, and then not directly from China. Buddhism was introduced into
 Japan from Korea around 550 AD and the Buddhists placed immense value on their
 sacred texts and the provision of perfect white paper on which to inscribe
 them. A Japanese chronicle relates that following the introduction of
 Buddhism, the technique of paper making was introduced into Japan in 610 by a
 Korean Buddhist priest called Tam-Chi, but whom the Japanese knew as Doncho.

     Once they knew the basic techniques of paper-making, The Japanese
 immediately set out to improve it. In 610 AD, the Prince Regent  considered
 that the Chinese paper of the time was too brittle and he encouraged
 experiments to be made to try to make it better.. Almost immediately it was
 found that boiling the fibres with wood ash and also adding a glutinous
 material made from a certain plant greatly improved the resulting paper and
 made it better that the Chinese paper.

     Since that time, the Japanese have continued to make new discoveries
 about paper-making and hand-made Japanese papers remain, today, the most
 sophisticated of all papers, and even qualify as works of art in their own
 right. At the same time, the Japanese people have become known as a people
 devoted to paper and paper has played a greater part in Japanese culture than
 in any other nation. It is used widely for religious purposes and is important
 in both the Shinto and the Buddhist religions. In secular life it is used for
 ceremonial, artistic and practical purposes such as in scre
for the
 subdivision of houses. Paper has been used for a thousand years for the formal
 ceremonial wrappers known as tsutsumi, and Its use for recreational origami
 goes back at least four hundred years and probably much longer.

                                         -------------------------------------
 -------------------------------

 As always, I shall welcome your correction of my errors and I shall be very
 grateful for any new information which anyone can supply which will add to our
 understaning of the origins of paper for whatever purpose it was invented (or
 evolved).

 David Lister,

 Grimsby, England.

 E-mail:  DLister891@AOL.com.





Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 12:31:58 -0400 (AST)
From: DLister891 <DLister891@aol.com>
Subject: Re: When is a New Model a New Model?

I am reluctant to enter into this discussion, because it is a bit like the
argument as to how long is a piece of string. In the fluid world of creativity
and invention the landmarks are no more than hazy shapes set amid shifting
sands.

Although considerationof the attribution of paperfolded models is also
inherent in questions of copyright, I take it that we are not talking about
copyright in this discussion. (And heaven forbid that Origami-L should yet
again venture into the murky realms of copyright!) What we are concerned with
is the proper attribution of a model to its designer or creator or discoverer.
(Incidentally, are there, in fact, any differences between those three terms?)
When we founded the British Origami Society, we had the temerity to include a
paragraph about copyright, but we didn't stop there, and because of the
limitations of the law of copyright, especially as applied to paperfoding, we
went on to stress that AS A MATTER OF COURTESY, all models used should be
credited to their designers. The papragraph still stands in the constitution
if anyone would like to look it up.

But like folksongs, paperfolded models evolve, and this applies even if they
are not what we would call "traditonal" models. So a model, even one by one of
the leading creative paperfolders of the day, may have elements contributed by
several or even by many creators.

One practical question is, how far one particular contributor can claim a
proprietory right in it and prevent it from being used by another contribuor,
anxious to contribute to the evolution of a new species of model? This is a
problem that has beset paperfolding ever since the 1960s. At first, Yoshizawa
took the position that he would not claim to limit the use made of his models.
However, as he came to feel that other folders were merely copying his own
creations with minor variations, he changed his view radically and became very
posessive about his models. Obviously, a variation is as long as a piece of
string!

I have been writing about the question of rightful attribution of a model,
which is a matter of COURTESY.. The LEGAL analogy is that of the law of
patents. I want to keep apart my present discussion from considerations of
copyright. Copyright exists in diagrams for the construction of models and in
the finished model as a piece of sculpture. (But I wonder, does that cover the
intricacies of the INTERNAL folds which are not visible in the finished
creation? Would a pastice having an identical surface appearance be the same
for this purpose?) On there other hand, the INVENTION, IDEA, or CONCEPT of a
model is NOT capable of being copyrighted. If you seek legal protection in
this respect, you must appy for the grant of a PATENT, the purpose of which is
to give you a limited time to market your invention exclusively and to gain a
financial reward for your innovation. It has nothing to do with art or design.
The key word here is INVENTION, that is a NEW idea.

Some inventions are regarded as wholly the creation of a single inventor. Even
so, there can be few inventions that do not employ the ideas of predecessors.
Someone invented the screw. How many mechanical inventions do not depend on
screws? So, in practice a mechanical device will include many inventive ideas.
Some may be subject to current patents enforceable at law, others not. Some
ideas may have been patented, but so long ago that the patents have expired.
Some ideas, probably the majority, may never have been patented and the
inventors passed into oblivion. Each and every inventor contributed to the
final product and make claim a share of the moral credit for it. But each
inventor who holds a current is entitled to contol the use of his own
particular contribution and to claim payment for use of his patent. To whom
shall we attribute the totality new machine? Usually, we think of the inventor
who  thought up the latest NEW idea. But this  is only a distorted and limited
view of the total contribution to the new invention.

There is a word which is frequently used in legal circles and that is
"SUBSTANTIALLY". It is not a word with any precise meaning. (It's close
relative is the word "reasonably".) In sorting out the infintite variety of
human life, activities and relationships, there can be no rigid precision.
Common sense has to be applied liberally and lawyers have to keep their feet
on the ground and make their decisions in practical ways. So is one invention
substantially like another? Whose contibution has contributed the most
substantitally to an invention? Has an inventor substantially infringed the
patent of another?

Judges have an unenviable task, but if life is to continue in any ordered way,
judges (and juries) must make practical decisions. Sadly in any legal case,
someone must be the loser and  that person is unlikely to see eye-to-eye with
the Judge's decision on the matter. But in the fluid field of human
relationships, viewpoints and activities, how could it be otherwise?

There have, indeed, been patents in paperfolding, but they have been rare,
because  appications for patents are very cumbersome and usually far too
costly and in terms of common sense, simply inappropriate. But the same
principles apply to our attiribution of paperfolded models as to patented
inventions, whether the paperfolded models have been patented or not.

We should not therefore, expect any final answer to the question to whom a
model should be attributed. Just keep your feet on the ground and oil your
considerations with common sense and do nor forget that word "substantially."
It is a relative matter and there can be no finality.

David Lister.

Grimsby, England.

E-mail: DLister891@AOL.com





Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 16:58:56 +0100
From: maarten@rc.service.rug.nl (Maarten van Gelder)
Subject: Help me save Christmas

From origami-l@nstn.ca  Sun Dec 14 16:58:54 1997
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 11:43:03 -0400 (AST)
From: Meristein <Meristein@aol.com>
Subject: Help me save Christmas

The Usborne Book of Origami(published by Usborne, and purported to be a
children's book) has a wonderful three-dimensional freestanding tree which
affords shelves to place ornaments on. It's modular, of course but made from
large squares of wrapping paper it works really well. Both my husband and I
have used this tree for holiday settings at work. It also gives you a chance
to fold lots of fanciful miniature ornaments.

Merida Weinstein *





Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 17:18:06 -0400 (AST)
From: "James M. Sakoda" <James_Sakoda@brown.edu>
Subject: Treasure Boat

<bold><fontfamily><param>Times</param><bigger>
</bigger></fontfamily></bold><fontfamily><param>Times</param><bigger>This
is a followup to a discussion some time ago on Treasure Boat.  For
those interested there are two pages of drawings and text on folding it
at http://idt.net/~kittyv.  They are in compact pdf form and requires
the Acrobat 3.0 reader to read.

<bold>

Significance of the Treasure Boat

     </bold>The treasure boat is significant from a number of points of
view.  First, it belongs to a family of early traditional folds  which
is based on the triple blintz fold--i.e. folding corners in to the
center three times.  This includes the familiar
<italic>yakkosan</italic>, <italic>komuso</italic>, the flute playing
monk, the <italic>hakama</italic> or trousers, the windmill base which
leads to the table, the trick boat, the double boat, the box     and
others.  Its versatility, in spite of its boxy construction, is due at
least in part to creases running both diagonally and parallel to the
sides.  The first and third blintz folds run diagonally,while the
second one runs parallel to the sides of the original square.   And yet
because only a single move of folding a corner to the center is
involved initially it is among the easiest folds that can be taught to
beginners.  It has also been used to create modular origami using three
hakama to form a dog or a samurai by inserting a yakkosan into a
hakama.

     The treasure boat is also the most complex of the triple blintz
folds including the final pullout operation which miraculously produces
two decks and a space between them, as well as potentials for sails.
The formation of the pointed front end of the boat makes for an
attractive boat.

     From a historical point of view the treasure boat or
Tenmasen<italic> </italic>is of great interest,  because its appearance
is so similar to that of the Chinese junk, whose front end is the same
as the back end.  The treasure boat, as Kosho Uchiyama has recorded its
folding, is based on the double  boat  (catamaran) leading to the
<italic>Omiya </italic>(shrine or palace )<italic> </italic>, while the
Chinese junk starts with the traditional folded box.  Actually the
treasure boat or  <italic>Tenmasen</italic> can be folded by modifying
the Chinese junk and the Chinese junk can be folded from the <italic>
Omiya.  </italic>Both start with the triple blintz fold and end up by
using the pullout operation to create the square decks at each end.
The <italic>Tenmasen</italic> is a small cargo boat  run with oars,
while the Chinese junk is a much larger sailboat.  The
<italic>Tenmasen</italic> was a commonly used cargo boat in Japan and
can be seen in Japanese samurai movies.  This leads me to conclude that
it is Japanese in character like the <italic>Yakkosan,  Komuso, Hakama
</italic> and others.  However, one cannot help wondering how the same
complex pullout device came to be used in two different boats.
<italic>

    </italic>   Another interesting historical fact is that the
Treasure Boat appears early in Satoshi Takagi's  recent publication
<italic>Koten ni Miru Origami </italic> (Origami in Old Documents),
Nippon Origami Association, 1993) as a paper boat on Page 6, along with
other origami figures, such as the <italic>Komoso or Komuso</italic>,
other paper boats, and the popular folded crane.  This was in books of
designs for children clothing, and its appearance was in 1704.  The
reproduced picture shows clearly the folded Treasure Boat, down to the
blintz fold ends on the bottom of the boat.    The Chinese junk can be
found in Murray and Rigney's  <bold>Paper Folding  for Beginners</bold>
(reprint by Dover, 1960) and Robert Harbin, <bold>Secrets of
Origam</bold>i (Oldbourne, 1963)

James M. Sakoda .  <italic>       </italic></bigger></fontfamily>





Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 18:42:04 -0400 (AST)
From: Marc Kirschenbaum <marckrsh@pipeline.com>
Subject: Newer, old files at the Origami Archive

Hi all,

I just wanted to make an anouncement that "The Missionary" files at the
origami archives have been replaced with cleaned up versions (thanks
Maarten!). This came about due to the efforts of Ariel Aramburu. He greatly
improved the text, cleand up the graphics, and made the files smaller. As
before, the files are over at

ftp.rug.nl/origami/models.bin

look for "The Missionary" directory

As before, this model is adult in nature (albeit not too graphic), so this
might not be fore everyone. The model is still somewhat complex in
difficulty level. Enjoy!
Marc





Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 19:39:46 -0400 (AST)
From: Michael Montebello <florafauna@classic.msn.com>
Subject: RE: Help with, Help me save Christmas.

----------
From:  Susan Dugan[FAX:florafauna@msn.com@+1 (803) 7919921]
Sent:  Saturday, December 13, 1997 8:32 PM
To:  Multiple recipients of list; Carole Young
Subject:  RE:Help with, Help me save Christmas.

I have been looking for a tree I saw that uses decreasing sizes of paper to
make units that are fitted on top of each other the unit is in some books as a
top (I think Origami Omnibus or Origami for the Connoisseur, I could not find
the page, the top has a tooth pick for the stem) I know the book Kusudama Ball
Origami has the unit on page 52 part A.
I may have seen the tree in a good book which has disappeared from my library
I think it was Quick and Easy Origami Christmas it came in a box with paper
and is small and spiral bound.
Put the nice thing about this tree is that you have a shelf like edge that you
can hang or place decorations.
If any one knows what book I'm thinking of help!
Susan Dugan





Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 19:49:13 -0400 (AST)
From: Mike & Janet Hamilton <Mikeinnj@concentric.net>
Subject: Re: Origins of Paper

DLister891 wrote:

>  While we cannot be sure that the very first use for paper was clothing, it
     was
>  certainly one of the earliest uses. I think I can do no better than quote
>  extracts from my two articles on "Paper, Its Nature and Origins", which
>  appeared in British Origami, numbers 183 and 184 for April and June 1997.

Thank you for the reply.  It was very informative.  The gradual development of
cloth to felt to paper makes a lot of sense.  Would it be possible for you to
     post
the entire articles that you excerpted?

Janet Hamilton

--
mailto:Mikeinnj@concentric.net
http://www.concentric.net/~Mikeinnj/





Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 20:52:50 -0400 (AST)
From: reeds@openix.com (Reeds Family)
Subject: Re: Help me save Christmas.

>We are having a Christmas crisis at our home. Chris (my wife) has allergies
>and we are going to have to take down our Christmas tree. She feels very
>bad about it. I offered to make an origami Christmas tree. Now the problem
>- HOW DO I DO IT :-%  ?
>
>I looked in the archives and didn't see an answer there. I'd like to make
>one at least 30" tall. It would be nice if it were sturdy enough that we
>wouldn't be in fear of it collapsing. Any thoughts about a model I could
>use, what paper to use, special techniques for folding big things (wet
>folding (which I have never done) or anything else) or any other ideas?
>
>Thanks, Jeff Kerwood
>jkerwood@usaor.net

Here's one I've hung in a wide doorway--not strictly origami, but a classic
folding and papercutting technique for lacy paper garlands. It's a good
idea to practice with small sheets first--they can be small trees or bells.

Take the largest circle you can make out of the most beautiful stiff ish
green or white paper you have. Put a circle of tape at the center for
reinforcement.
Poke a hole through the center.
Fold into 8ths  through center.
Refold as pleats (ie. as if you were making waterbomb base)
Fold in half along middle crease. You want to end up with a pie-slice with
four folded edges on the right side, one thick folded edge on the left.
Starting about 2 inches from point (ie the circle's center), make a series
of parallel straight  cuts from the right side ALMOST to the left edge. DO
NOT CUT ALL THE WAY ACROSS! Each cut should be about a finger-breadth away
from its neighbors.  Leave an inch or two margin at the bottom, ie the
outer perimeter of the circle.
Then make parallel cuts from the left side ALMOST to the right side, going
half-way between the cuts from the other direction. DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY
ACROSS or intersect with the parallel cuts going the other direction!
Carefully unfold to the circle and flatten out the pleats as best you can.
Make all the creases at the very perimeter valley folds.
Put the circle over one hand to push the center up gently while stretching
the perimeter down with t other hand.
Hang from center  and weight gently with tape or very light origami
ornaments from the valley folds at the perimeter to stretch it out. Hang
origami ornaments on a string down the center axis.

Karen
reeds@openix.com





Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 20:53:25 -0400 (AST)
From: reeds@openix.com (Reeds Family)
Subject: origami gifts

One the best gifts you can give a family is your time and attention by
entertaining the kids with simple origami during long holiday gatherings.

Bring along or scrounge origami paper, typing paper, wrapping paper,
newspaper, business cards or index cards, crayons or colored pencils,
scissors, tape, stapler, paperclips (for ornament hooks)--this is no time
to be purist.

Fold each kid 2 boxes (one to serve as lid) to keep whatever you make.
Flapping birds, Florence Temko's wonderful squawking bird, finger puppets,
paper springs (worms for the birds), fans, pinwheels, waterbombs,
business/index card cubes (to a 3 year old, it's a house--let them draw on
the cards first), hopping frogs, hats, chairs and tables (draw or cut out
people to sit on them)... whatever simple action figures you have in your
repertoire.

Stay away from paper airplanes, though--too dangerous with fragile
ornaments and lots of people!

Karen
reeds@openix.com





Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 21:29:59 -0400 (AST)
From: jaelle <jaelle1@swbell.net>
Subject: To Reed Family

Hello my friends,

I am sorry to post this on the list but I have
tried to send to your email
at openix and I get a fatal email msg with a web
site to go to.

It is very odd. But it says because someone on the
isp you use has
sent spam or some other type thing that your email
server has volunteered to
be on something called a blackhole list. It means
you can not get email unless you call
a call a number to get your name off the list.
The msg I keep getting is below. It gives the site
to go fix this.
Thought you would like to know.

 ----- Transcript of session follows -----
.. while talking to pantera.openix.com.:
>>> MAIL From:<jaelle1@swbell.net> SIZE=411
<<< 571 <jaelle1@swbell.net>... Access by relay
[151.164.1.2] DENIED - see
http://maps.vix.com/cgi-bin/lookup?151.164.1.2
554 <reeds@openix.com>... Service unavailable

I wanted to thank you for the books you sent. They
are wonderful.
There are some models in each I have not done
before.

I LOVE the masks in the small one.
The folder is a delight!!! The bird with the fan
behind it is beautiful.
I am going to decorate the only two packages I can
send out for Christmas
with them

Thank you again ( smiles of happiness)

Dream in beauty
Gail





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 00:35:35 -0400 (AST)
From: Laurie Bisman <lbisman@ihug.co.nz>
Subject: ???!!

I've just put myself back on the list - I got dropped off again?! this is
becoming rather annoying - it is the third time it has happened now.

I just noticed that I hadn't had any messages for a while - I usually try
to get subscribed, the message usually says you're already subscribed - in
this case, it added me, signifying that I wasn't already a member.

Anyone else having these problems, or is the server just prejudiced?

Regards..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laurie Bisman    lbisman@ihug.co.nz (ICQ number  1458799)
Web page          http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~lbisman/index.html
Company           http://www.addlink.ac.nz/Home.htm





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 04:42:03 -0400 (AST)
From: Maarten van Gelder <M.J.van.Gelder@rc.rug.nl>
Subject: Re: ???!!

m> I've just put myself back on the list - I got dropped off again?! this is
m> becoming rather annoying - it is the third time it has happened now.
m>
m> I just noticed that I hadn't had any messages for a while - I usually try
m> to get subscribed, the message usually says you're already subscribed - in
m> this case, it added me, signifying that I wasn't already a member.
m>
m> Anyone else having these problems, or is the server just prejudiced?

I just had the same problem some time ago.
But as I'm member on two different accounts, I still received message on the
second account. And there was one special message.
Special in this way: it contained at least one 8 BIT character. I know the
listserver accepts this, but my mailhost does'nt! Maybe thaqt was the cause
of more 'unsubscriptions'.

Maarten van Gelder,           RC-ICT RuG,      RijksUniversiteit Groningen
M.J.van.Gelder@rc.rug.nl                       Nederland





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 08:08:01 -0400 (AST)
From: Jeff Kerwood <jkerwood@usaor.net>
Subject: Re: Help me save Christmas.

Hi Kevin:

I think we are going to go with the tree from The Magic of Origami as our
central Christmas tree. But I love your idea. We have a 4 year old and this
sounds like a great family project. Thanks for taking the time to type all
this in.

Merry Christmas,
Jeff Kerwood
jkerwood@usaor.net

----------
> From: DGS - Kevin Kinney PhD <kkinney@carolinas.org>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <origami-l@nstn.ca>
> Subject: Re: Help me save Christmas.
> Date: Friday, December 12, 1997 1:22 PM
>
> >We are having a Christmas crisis at our home. Chris (my wife) has
allergies
> >and we are going to have to take down our Christmas tree. She feels very
> >bad about it. I offered to make an origami Christmas tree. Now the
problem
> >- HOW DO I DO IT :-%  ?
> >
>
> It's not exactly origami, but what about a variant of the old newspaper
tree.
>
> You take a section of the paper (fairly thick, you want a lot of sheets
of
> paper lying on top of each other) iopen it out, then roll it up from side
> to side, into a tight log-like roll.  Tape or glue the one end, say 1/3
to
> 1/2 the total length.  Then you use scissors to make several longitudinal
> cuts through the other end, toward your taped "trunk", giving you a
> trunk/handle and a frayed mess.  reach into the center of the frays to
grab
> a part of the interior of the trunk and gently pull upward.  The trunk
will
> telescope outward (like a collapsing car antenna) and the fray make the
> leaves.  I think that if you were to start the slits long on the outer
> layers and make them shorter as you cut in, you might be able to make a
> decent tapering effect.
>
> If you used green paper (wrapping paper?) instead of newspaper (cut
several
> large rectangles), it might look Christmasy.  And by using larger paper,
> you might be able to make a larger tree, but it may need some structural
> enhancement:  a wire to support the trunk, or hang it from a ceiling hook
> so it appears to be sitting on the ground.
>
>       And, of course, decorate with origami ornaments!
>
> Did I get the method right?  It's been a very long time since I tried
this.
>
> (on the other hand, if you want to make one out of *balloons*, I can
point
> you in the right direction.  A friend of mine and I developed a good one
a
> while back.  But it takes a lot of those long skinny balloons  in
green...)
>
> Kevin
>
>
> Kevin Kinney
> kkinney@carolinas.org





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 09:02:47 -0400 (AST)
From: Jeff Kerwood <jkerwood@usaor.net>
Subject: Exposing Yourself

I am putting together a few exhibit pieces and am trying to make them as
perfect as possible. I haven't been folding very long and would greatly
appreciate any tips, about making models "look great", that you experienced
folders would take the time to pass my way.

I am at the point where I can fold lots of things but they seldom look "Oh,
so perfect!" - and that's what I am striving for. I was watching a La Fosse
video and noticed that he lays the entire fold down before creasing it.
When he pressed the crease down it didn't have one end up in the air and
paper being "eaten" into the crease (making little puckers along the crease
line). Now this is something that is surely second nature to him and to
most of you. But I had been doing it ALL WRONG.

What I'm hoping for is that some of you good folders might listen to the
things you say to yourself when YOU are folding. "Oh yes, this should be a
soft crease here." "Roll the paper into the corner". "Line up the edge to
make the point look good." "Where can I put this glue so no one will see
it?" "Make this crease a little 'loose' so I can do
the reverse later." "Don't over tighten the vice." "???."

I'm not wanting anything model specific (although that would be fine). I am
asking you to expose your "neatness" thoughts so I (and others I presume)
can see into your mind (knowing some of you this could be scary  ;-)  ) and
learn what is second nature to you.

(Note: you don't really have to use this "what I'm thinking" format, just
my
way of asking for info)

Thanks for sharing the wisdom of your experience,
Jeff Kerwood
jkerwood@usaor.net





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 09:09:25 -0400 (AST)
From: Jeff Kerwood <jkerwood@usaor.net>
Subject: Re: Help me save Christmas.

Sorry group, this was meant to be sent to his private address. (I think
you'll see a few more thank you's that I sent incorrectly coming along any
minute).

Jeff Kerwood
jkerwood@usaor.net

----------
> From: Jeff Kerwood <jkerwood@usaor.net>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <origami-l@nstn.ca>
> Subject: Re: Help me save Christmas.
> Date: Monday, December 15, 1997 7:08 AM
>
> Hi Kevin:
>
> I think we are going to go with the tree from The Magic of Origami as our
> central Christmas tree. But I love your idea. We have a 4 year old and
this
> sounds like a great family project. Thanks for taking the time to type
all
> this in.
>
> Merry Christmas,
> Jeff Kerwood
> jkerwood@usaor.net
>
> ----------
> > From: DGS - Kevin Kinney PhD <kkinney@carolinas.org>
> > To: Multiple recipients of list <origami-l@nstn.ca>
> > Subject: Re: Help me save Christmas.
> > Date: Friday, December 12, 1997 1:22 PM
> >
> > >We are having a Christmas crisis at our home. Chris (my wife) has
> allergies
> > >and we are going to have to take down our Christmas tree. She feels
very
> > >bad about it. I offered to make an origami Christmas tree. Now the
> problem
> > >- HOW DO I DO IT :-%  ?
> > >
> >
> > It's not exactly origami, but what about a variant of the old newspaper
> tree.
> >
> > You take a section of the paper (fairly thick, you want a lot of sheets
> of
> > paper lying on top of each other) iopen it out, then roll it up from
side
> > to side, into a tight log-like roll.  Tape or glue the one end, say 1/3
> to
> > 1/2 the total length.  Then you use scissors to make several
longitudinal
> > cuts through the other end, toward your taped "trunk", giving you a
> > trunk/handle and a frayed mess.  reach into the center of the frays to
> grab
> > a part of the interior of the trunk and gently pull upward.  The trunk
> will
> > telescope outward (like a collapsing car antenna) and the fray make the
> > leaves.  I think that if you were to start the slits long on the outer
> > layers and make them shorter as you cut in, you might be able to make a
> > decent tapering effect.
> >
> > If you used green paper (wrapping paper?) instead of newspaper (cut
> several
> > large rectangles), it might look Christmasy.  And by using larger
paper,
> > you might be able to make a larger tree, but it may need some
structural
> > enhancement:  a wire to support the trunk, or hang it from a ceiling
hook
> > so it appears to be sitting on the ground.
> >
> >     And, of course, decorate with origami ornaments!
> >
> > Did I get the method right?  It's been a very long time since I tried
> this.
> >
> > (on the other hand, if you want to make one out of *balloons*, I can
> point
> > you in the right direction.  A friend of mine and I developed a good
one
> a
> > while back.  But it takes a lot of those long skinny balloons  in
> green...)
> >
> > Kevin
> >
> >
> > Kevin Kinney
> > kkinney@carolinas.org





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 13:22:23 -0400 (AST)
From: andalar@aimnet.com (andalar)
Subject: RE:Help with, Help me save Christmas.

>I have been looking for a tree I saw that uses decreasing sizes of paper to
>make units that are fitted on top of each other the unit is in some books as a
>top (I think Origami Omnibus or Origami for the Connoisseur, I could not find
>the page, the top has a tooth pick for the stem) I know the book Kusudama Ball
>Origami has the unit on page 52 part A.
>I may have seen the tree in a good book which has disappeared from my library
>I think it was Quick and Easy Origami Christmas it came in a box with paper
>and is small and spiral bound.
>Put the nice thing about this tree is that you have a shelf like edge that you
>can hang or place decorations.
>If any one knows what book I'm thinking of help!
>Susan Dugan

How about pages 112-113 of The Magic of Origami/Gray,Kasahara?

Laura Mappin





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 15:51:29 -0400 (AST)
From: "Thomas C. Hull" <tch@abyss.merrimack.edu>
Subject: 2nd Proceedings of Origami Science are OUT!

Hello everybody!

Well, well.  I have some good news to report.  The Proceedings of
the 2nd International Meeting of Origami Science and Scientific
Origami are out!

For those who don't remember, this marvey meeting too place in Otsu,
Japan at the Seian University of Art & Design in Dec. of 1994.
There has been some discussion on origami-l as to whether the
Proceedings from this meeting would ever be published.

Well, two weekends ago I was in Italy at the 15th CDO convention
(which was awesome!)  and I met Humiaki Huzita there.  He
told me that these Proceedings have been out since late last spring,
but no one had sent copies to the Western origamists who had
attended the meeting!  I don't really know *why* such a misshap
occured, but I have Humi my address.  Today I received a package
from Japan containing my copy!

The book is marvelous.  It clocks in at 555 pages (!!)  All except 2 or 3
articles are in English out of a total of 52 articles.
Many of the articles are about the mathematics of origami, featuring
such wizards as Kawasaki, Kawahata, Maekawa, Lang, Jacques Justin and
others.  But there are a massive collection of articles on the
artistic process and philosophy of origami design, by people like
David Brill, Hermann Van Goubergen, Paul Jackson, Kunihiko Kasahara,
Tomoko Fuse, and even Akira Yoshizawa!  There are also fundamental
articles by Chris Palmer and Paulo Barreto on origami tesselations.

How do you get a copy?  I'M NOT SURE!  Eventually OrigamiUSA will be
selling copies.  For now, the only way I know of is to order it
through the Origami Gallery House (see the web page of the Origami
Detectives, linked through Joseph Wu's page), but that involves
an international $$ order or something.

But this Proceedings really is MUST reading for anyone interested in the
science, art and math of origami.  In fact, the main title for the
book is "Origami Science & Art."  Be sure to get yourself a copy
eventually!

---- Tom "that's a mouthful!" Hull





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 15:52:27 -0400 (AST)
From: Joseph Wu <josephwu@ultranet.ca>
Subject: Re: Half a Square onward

>> Can anyone tell me about interesting origami where you fold
>> something pretty, and then cut it in half, and get something pretty
>> cut out?  I believe various people are doing research on this kind
>> of thing, but they only cut out polygons with a single cut from
>> some folded paper; can you cut out a reindeer or something?  Anyone
>> know any good tricks like this that work?
>
>A number of years ago, I did meet an oriental gentleman who was able
>to cut any figure out of a sheet of paper. There were a group of us
>at a meeting. Whatever we named, he cut. I recall asking for a horse.
>He folded the paper, and after a few snips ended up with a few
>perfectly symmetrical horses. Each completed figure named was there
>in perfection!

The Nippon Origami Association (NOA) runs a short column in its magazine
with this kind of thing from time to time. They often do it as a quiz:
given the diagrams of how to fold the object and where to make a single
cut, can you guess what the resulting figure will be without actually doing
it? I played with this for a little bit after I saw the first one in
Origami (NOA's magazine), and designed some letters, but I wasn't really
enamoured by the technique, so I dropped it.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph Wu, Producer, DNA Productions Inc.
t:604.730.0306 x 105     f: 604.732.7331     e: joseph@dna.bc.ca





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 15:53:12 -0400 (AST)
From: Robby/Laura/Lisa <morassi@zen.it>
Subject: Tags ? (was: Treasure Boat)

Prof. Sakoda wrote:

><bold><fontfamily><param>Times</param><bigger>

<....snip....>

HTML-like tags were spread over this message. I suppose they produce some
effect on a HTML-based mail reader (Netscape Mail etc.), but they have no
meaning and are just a nuisance in text-based readers like Eudora and
others. On behalf of all those using this kind of mail readers, I suggest
that plain ASCII text (with no HTML, MIME or other formatting) should be
used in all postings to this list, in order to avoid the temptation of
instant trashing.... :-)

Thanks !

Roberto

         _\|/_
        ( o o )
=====-oOO-(_)-OOo-========+
Roberto Morassi           |
Via Palestro 11           |  Please DON'T quote my full
51100 PISTOIA             |  message in reply... I KNOW
ITALY                     |  what I have written ! :-)
tel & fax (+)39-573-20436 |
E-mail <morassi@zen.it>   |





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 17:10:03 -0400 (AST)
From: "James M. Sakoda" <James_Sakoda@brown.edu>
Subject: Re: Tags ? (was: Treasure Boat)

>Prof. Sakoda wrote:
>
>><bold><fontfamily><param>Times</param><bigger>
>
><....snip....>
>
>HTML-like tags were spread over this message. I suppose they produce some
>effect on a HTML-based mail reader (Netscape Mail etc.), but they have no
>meaning and are just a nuisance in text-based readers like Eudora and
>others. On behalf of all those using this kind of mail readers, I suggest
>that plain ASCII text (with no HTML, MIME or other formatting) should be
>used in all postings to this list, in order to avoid the temptation of
>instant trashing.... :-)
>
>Thanks !
>
>Roberto
     I guess the extra tags which Roberto has identified as HTML tags arose
because I lifted the paragraph from a web page.  I guess it would have been
better to go back to the original page which did not contain the invisible
tags.  I'll try to be more careful in the future.
James M. Sakoda, money folds in pdf form at:
http://idt.net/~kittyv





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 17:52:01 -0400 (AST)
From: Jeff Kerwood <jkerwood@usaor.net>
Subject: Re: 2nd Proceedings of Origami Science are OUT!

Tom, how "deep" is the math? Is it for big-brained-math-gods only or could
those who struggle with math 101 understand it?

Thanks & Merry Christmas,
Jeff Kerwood
jkerwood@usaor.net

----------
> From: Thomas C. Hull <tch@abyss.merrimack.edu>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <origami-l@nstn.ca>
> Subject: 2nd Proceedings of Origami Science are OUT!
> Date: Monday, December 15, 1997 2:52 PM
>
> Hello everybody!
>
> Well, well.  I have some good news to report.  The Proceedings of
> the 2nd International Meeting of Origami Science and Scientific
> Origami are out!
>
> For those who don't remember, this marvey meeting too place in Otsu,
> Japan at the Seian University of Art & Design in Dec. of 1994.
> There has been some discussion on origami-l as to whether the
> Proceedings from this meeting would ever be published.
>
> Well, two weekends ago I was in Italy at the 15th CDO convention
> (which was awesome!)  and I met Humiaki Huzita there.  He
> told me that these Proceedings have been out since late last spring,
> but no one had sent copies to the Western origamists who had
> attended the meeting!  I don't really know *why* such a misshap
> occured, but I have Humi my address.  Today I received a package
> from Japan containing my copy!
>
> The book is marvelous.  It clocks in at 555 pages (!!)  All except 2 or 3
> articles are in English out of a total of 52 articles.
> Many of the articles are about the mathematics of origami, featuring
> such wizards as Kawasaki, Kawahata, Maekawa, Lang, Jacques Justin and
> others.  But there are a massive collection of articles on the
> artistic process and philosophy of origami design, by people like
> David Brill, Hermann Van Goubergen, Paul Jackson, Kunihiko Kasahara,
> Tomoko Fuse, and even Akira Yoshizawa!  There are also fundamental
> articles by Chris Palmer and Paulo Barreto on origami tesselations.
>
> How do you get a copy?  I'M NOT SURE!  Eventually OrigamiUSA will be
> selling copies.  For now, the only way I know of is to order it
> through the Origami Gallery House (see the web page of the Origami
> Detectives, linked through Joseph Wu's page), but that involves
> an international $$ order or something.
>
> But this Proceedings really is MUST reading for anyone interested in the
> science, art and math of origami.  In fact, the main title for the
> book is "Origami Science & Art."  Be sure to get yourself a copy
> eventually!
>
> ---- Tom "that's a mouthful!" Hull





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 18:08:51 -0400 (AST)
From: DGS - Kevin Kinney PhD <kkinney@carolinas.org>
Subject: Check on a message

This morning I typed up and sent out a text description of what I had
previously termed a "pathetically simple" Star of David, that someone
expressed interest in trying.

Apparently that was at just about the time our server crashed.  I know I
didn't receive the message back via the list, but did anyone?  I have
missed a few hours worth of posts, it seems (which I'll fix by accessing
the archives when that's do-able for me again.

Anyway, if it didn't go out, let me know, and I'll try again...

Kevin Kinney
kkinney2carolinas.org

Kevin Kinney
kkinney@carolinas.org





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 21:07:49 -0400 (AST)
From: Janus <janus@eskimo.com>
Subject: Re: To Reed Family

Hi.  This is just an FYI.  Please don't be offended.

> From origami-l@nstn.ca  Sun Dec 14 17:34:41 1997
> Received: from Owl.nstn.ca (owl.nstn.ca [137.186.128.11])
>       by mx1.eskimo.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) with ESMTP id RAA04307;
>       Sun, 14 Dec 1997 17:34:37 -0800
> Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1])
>       by Owl.nstn.ca (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id VAA28236;
>       Sun, 14 Dec 1997 21:30:14 -0400 (AST)
> Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 21:30:14 -0400 (AST)
> Message-Id: <34948758.A0EEE3E7@swbell.net>

> From: jaelle <jaelle1@swbell.net>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <origami-l@nstn.ca>
> Subject: To Reed Family
> X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas
>
..
>
> It is very odd. But it says because someone on the
> isp you use has
> sent spam or some other type thing that your email
> server has volunteered to
> be on something called a blackhole list. It means
> you can not get email unless you call
> a call a number to get your name off the list.
> The msg I keep getting is below. It gives the site
> to go fix this.
> Thought you would like to know.
>
>  ----- Transcript of session follows -----
> .. while talking to pantera.openix.com.:
> >>> MAIL From:<jaelle1@swbell.net> SIZE=411
> <<< 571 <jaelle1@swbell.net>... Access by relay
> [151.164.1.2] DENIED - see
> http://maps.vix.com/cgi-bin/lookup?151.164.1.2
> 554 <reeds@openix.com>... Service unavailable

actually, this says that the host at 151.164.1.2 is blacklisted..
this resolves to mail1.rcsntx.swbell.net which you might recognize as one
of the possibly many mail servers at your provider (swbell.net)

pantera.openix.com (the Reeds' ISP's mail server) is the one doing the
     blacklisting.





Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 22:13:00 -0400 (AST)
From: jaelle <jaelle1@swbell.net>
Subject: Re: To Reed Family

Janus wrote:

> Hi.  This is just an FYI.  Please don't be
> offended.
>

Not offended at all. I thank you for the
information. I called my ISP and they are
getting it fixed. Seems swbell allowd commercial
mail. ( frown)
Thank you again.

Walk in light
Jaelle





Date: Tue, 16 Dec 1997 01:26:08 -0400 (AST)
From: "Thomas C. Hull" <tch@abyss.merrimack.edu>
Subject: Re: 2nd Proceedings of Origami Science are OUT!

Jeff asks,

>>>
Tom, how "deep" is the math? Is it for big-brained-math-gods only or could
those who struggle with math 101 understand it?
<<<

The math is at different levels.  Big-brained people will find
lots of stuff to chew on.  Everyone else will also be able to get
plenty out of the articles by Lang, Kawahata, Barreto and others.
(There are lots of pictures!)  And then there's many things
to just read about how people like Engel, Brill, and Yoshizawa
approach design.

It's just as much a book about ART as it is about MATH and SCIENCE.

--- Tom "goes both ways" Hull





Date: Tue, 16 Dec 1997 06:02:23 -0400 (AST)
From: DLister891 <DLister891@aol.com>
Subject: Re: 2nd Proceedings of Origami Science.

My copy of the Proceedings of the Second International Meeting of Origami
Science and Scientific Origami (What a mouthful!) also arrived yesterday. In
fact it occurred to me during the night that someone in Origami-L might be
interested to know and I came to my computer with the intention of posting a
messag to that effect, only to find that Tom Hull had beaten me to it. (He
always was a fast one!)

So I shall confine myself to saying everything that Tom has said about this
magnificent volume is absolutely correct. I have no hesitation in stating that
this is far and away the most important book on "scientific" or "mathematical"
paperfolding (call it what you will) that has ever been published. But not
only science and mathematics. As Tom says, it also contains a number of
articles on artistic and historical aspects of paperfolding. An absolutely
fascinating clooection of papers, enough to convince the most sceptical critic
that paperfolding is much more than a pastime for children.

I agree with Tom that the majority of articles are accessible to those of us
who don't happen to have higher qualifications in mathematics, so don't be
afraid to buy it . Get a mortgage if you don't have the ready cash. In this
respect, it is  more accessible than were some of the contents of the
Proceedings of the First International Meeting of Origami Science and
Technology, which was organised by  Humiaki Huzita ("Humi") at Ferrara, Italy
in December 1989. (I believe, incidentally, that the proceedings of the
Ferrara Meeting are still obtainable from Humi.)

For those who do not know him, Humi is a Japanese nuclear physicist, now
retired, who lives in Italy. We missed him at the Convention of Origami
Deutschland held at Wurtzburg last June, where he was to have been one of the
guests of honour. Sadly, he was prevented from coming because he was having
trouble with his eyes. Since then he has had an operation and I am delighted
to report that his sight has now recovered to the extent that he can drive a
car so he was able to come tho the Convention of C.D.O, (the Italian origami
society) held at Terme S. Pietro, about fifteen miles south-east of Bologna,
the weekend before last. A galaxy of paperfolding talent was there, including
Tom Hull, Chris Palmer, David Brill and Alfredo Giunta, Vicente Palacios and
many others. If I can squeeze the time I will post a report on this convention
to Origami-L. Suffice it to say that one of the thinggs that became evident
during the convention was that the world lost an outstanding cabaret artist
when Tom Hull defected to mathematics!

Humi was also involved in the organisation of the Otsu meeting and he was
horrified when he learnt that those of us from the West who had attended the
meeting had not yet received our copies of the proceedings. He went round
collecting our names (and it is surprising how many of those who were at Otsu
were also at the CDO Convention). It is certainly due to Humi that we have
If any subscribers to Origami-L who attended the Otsu Meeting have not yet
Toshikazu Kawasaki as soon as possible. You can reach him at  Sasebo National
College of Technology at 1-1, Okishin-machi, Sasebo City, Nagasaki, 857-11,
Japan.         (Tel: + 81 - 956 - 31 - 3261.      Fax:  + 81 - 956 - 33 -
2895.)

Those who were not at the Otsu Meeting will have to buy copies of the
procedings when they become easily available. But buy them, you must.

My only disappointment is that the article by Makio Araki on tsutsumi
(ceremonial wrappers, usually, but inaccurately called "noshi" in the West),
is one of the few articles in Japanese. The Abstract, which was sent out
_before_ the Otsu meeting was in both Japanese and English. This does not
apply to the Proceedings. I presume that a Japanese edition of the present
proceedings has not been  published in parallel to the Proceedings in English.
If this is so, it demonstrates the selfless devotion of the Japanese to
producing the Proceedings for the rest of the world in very difficult
circumstances and at great cost. We and the whole of the paperfolding
community throughout the world owe the organiseers of the Meeting and immense
debt of gratitude.

David Lister.

Grimsby, England.

DLister891@AOL.com





Date: Tue, 16 Dec 1997 09:45:22 -0400 (AST)
From: rick@tridelta.com (Rick Bissell)
Subject: An Origami Christmas (poem)

***** Season's Greetings!  It seems like Christmas is coming up faster than
ever this year, and there is so much to get done.  I hope all of you enjoy
this little poem - it is my gift to you!  Best wishes to everyone on
origami-l ******

"An Origami Christmas"
    - by Rick Bissell
-----------------------------------------------------

'Twas the night before Christmas,
  when all through the house
could be heard paper crinkling,
  - I was folding a mouse;

My modulars were hung on the tree
  like "fine art",
(with hopes that come morning
  they'd not fallen apart!);

The children were nestled
  all snug in their beds,
but visions of petal folds
  danced in MY head;

My wife was asleep too,
  I was up all alone,
and had been folding for hours
  to decorate my home.

When out on the lawn
  there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the table to see
  what was the matter.

My hand grabbed the knob
  and yanked open the door,
as kami went scattering
  all over the floor;

When, what to my wondering
  eyes should appear,
but a Kasahara sleigh,
  and eight Robert Lang reindeer.

The driver was plump
  - a right jolly old elf,
and I said "Santa's a FOLDER!"
  out loud to myself.

"Now crease it! Now fold it! Now crimp that part here!
Release the trapped paper and sink-fold it there!
Let the whole world begin at the sound of my call!
Now fold away, fold away, fold away all!"

As I drew in my breath,
  with my head spinning 'round,
down the chimney
  St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in paper,
  from his hat to his feet,
(and some of it was "wet-folded"
  from the snow on his seat),

He had a gum-wrapper belt,
  and a pipe made from gold foil,
but his newspaper boots
  were all sooty and soiled;

He spoke not a word,
  but went straight to the tree,
and lock-folded my modulars,
  and then turned back to me.

And laying his finger
  between two unseen pleats,
with a quick twisting motion,
  he gave my mouse feet.

Then he sprang to his sleigh
  and team parked in the dark,
And away they all flew
  like a sharp paper dart:

But I heard him exclaim
  ere he drove out of sight,
"Those diagrams are wrong son,
  you'd have been struggling all night!"

MERRY CHRISTMAS!





Date: Tue, 16 Dec 1997 11:01:24 -0400 (AST)
From: DLister891 <DLister891@aol.com>
Subject: Origami Science and Art

Further to my earlier posting this morning, I have checked the Web Page of
Origami Tanteidan and the price of the proceedings of the Second international
Meeting of Scientific Origami is 5000 Yen, which I don't think at all out-of-
the-way  for a publication of this kind: It's very cheap, in fact, especially
at present when the Yen is down.

Anyone interested is asked to contact Toshikazu Kawasake at E-mail:
kawasaki@post.cc.sasebo.ac.jp(Kawasaki Toshikazu).

I append the following note on payments for books (or anything else) from
Japan:

I believe that by applying to a the central post office, people in the United
States can still obtain postal orders or postal money orders. However, these
are now unobtainable in Great Britain and it is necessary to pay by bank draft
obtainable from most banks.. Because, however, Japanese banks charge fees on
foreign drafts paid into accounts in Japan, even though already coverted to
Yen, it is necessary to add on  something for the Japanese bank charges. As
these differ from bank to bank, it is best to obtain the amount from the
intended payee.

I regret that I don't know the position in other countries, but postal orders
are probably still be obtainable in some countries, in which case the question
of Japanese bank charges doesn't arise.

If you can find a Japanese dealer who will accept postal instructions for
payment by credit card, all your problems are solved, because conversion
sharges witll be minimal. I have yet to find such a dealer, so let me know if
you find one, please.

My own view is that the system for inter-currency payments of small sums
urgently needs taking in hand on an international basis.

David Lister.

Grimsby, England.

DLister891@AOL.com





Date: Tue, 16 Dec 1997 11:48:34 -0400 (AST)
From: Bruce Stephens <B.Stephens@isode.com>
Subject: Re: Origami Science and Art

DLister891@aol.com said:
> proceedings of the Second international Meeting of Scientific Origami
> is 5000 Yen, which I don't think at all out-of- the-way  for a
> publication of this kind: It's very cheap, in fact, especially at
> present when the Yen is down.

Looks like GBP23.40 or $38.20 (ignoring charges).

DLister891@aol.com said:
> If you can find a Japanese dealer who will accept postal instructions
> for payment by credit card, all your problems are solved, because
> conversion sharges witll be minimal.

Is credit-card purchase possible for this book?  If not, what's the conversion
charge relevant for this book?  (I'm in the UK, if this is relevant.)

I would ask whether BOS supplies would be likely to get hold of it, if it
weren't just resting(*) at the moment.

(*) Python reference intended.
