Posted in: Ishiba says Trump isn’t as frightening in person as on TV See in context
J101 said (or Feb. 8 06:25 pm JST)
If there's a critical situation, Mr. Ichiba could just use Donald's dementia. An aide could bring a fly into the meeting room, and Donnie is distracted for hours.
I think you're confusing President Trump with the previous occupier of the Oval Office.
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Posted in: U.S. hiring beats expectations in December to cap solid year See in context
It's more like employers are anticipating President Trump coming into office and taking the brakes off the economy. They're preparing for a boom.
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Posted in: Kyoto wants to add extra charges for tourists to use city buses See in context
KevinMcgueToday said (at 08:25 am JST):
Will this apply to Japanese tourist from other parts of Japan? It is not hard to guess the answer to that one.
No, it's not hard to guess that one. It's actually explained in the article:
It’s worth noting that the revised system would not only charge higher prices for travelers visiting Japan from abroad, but also Japanese citizens/residents visiting from other parts of the country. Even people living in other parts of Kyoto Prefecture would be subject to the higher rates, as the proposal divides riders into two groups, Kyoto City residents and tourists.
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Posted in: Criminal liability to be contested at Kyoto Animation arson trial See in context
The use of "allegedly" is a standard journalistic practice as the accused has not been convicted of the crime(s) with which he/she has been charged at the time of the writing of the article.
That being said, I hope he is found guilty on all counts. What he did was monstrous.
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Posted in: Baldwin says 'Rust' prosecutor made 'elementary legal error' See in context
GaijinjlandToday said today (at 11:44 am JST:)
I actually didn’t realize they would even use real guns on sets. Seems counterintuitive. What could possibly go wrong? Just kind of assumed they were realistic looking fakes.
While big budget movies can afford to use prop guns and edit in the sound and visual of a gun firing, low budget films like Rust use real guns. The guns are supervised by a person called an armorer, who is in charge of all guns and ammunition on the set. The armorer is supposed to be the only one who handles the guns, other than the actors that are using them. The armorer ensures that the guns are properly loaded with blank ammunition before handing them off--or they're supposed to. No one else on the set is supposed to have access to the guns under the armorer's control, either.
It appears that the armorer for Rust, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was inexperienced and forced to split her attention between her armorer's role and other duties on the set. It appears that, due to this, there were some issues with the guns under her control (reportedly unauthorized usage by other crew members who used the gun involved in the shooting for target practice) as well as lax security with the armory.
Gutierrez-Reed was not unfamiliar with firearms. Her father, Thell Reed, is a well-known armorer in Hollywood. His credits include Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Django Unchained, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Blade, and Tombstone.
By the way, prop guns are used at all levels of filmmaking when an actor needs to only be seen with a gun. As they are lighter than actual guns, they make it easier for the actors to do multiple takes without fatigue--for example, all the guns used in the close order drill sequences of Stripes were most likely prop guns and not real rifles.
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Posted in: Prince Harry accuses brother William of 2019 physical attack: report See in context
I wish I could insert the GIF of Jeremy Clarkson saying, "Oh, no! Anyway..." It's the most appropriate response to Harry.
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Posted in: Without free-to-air, we wouldn’t have 'Doctor Who' in the archives. What will we lose when it moves to Disney? See in context
LudditeToday wrote (at 12:21 pm JST:}
British taxpayers do not fund Doctor Who, the licence fee does
It's still a tax, but one paid by television owners in Great Britain.
As for me, I will not give any money to Disney. Therefore, I must sadly say goodbye to The Doctor. Wait--I actually did that when Chibnal and Whittaker killed the franchise (at least in my eyes.)
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Posted in: Crosby, Stills and Nash follow Young's lead in Spotify row See in context
All these old hippies have gone from "sticking it to the Man" to "sticking UP for the Man." Whatever happened to free speech?
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Posted in: Anime tie-up with Japanese onsen town causes public outcry See in context
Suretto posted (on Nov. 23 at 07:27 am JST):
Is Japan paying people a lot to just stay home and do nothing except argue online, or how do people get into such silly "flame wars"?
"Flame wars" have existed long before the pandemic and resultant lockdowns and even long before Twitter was even a thing. Any time people have anonymity they will indulge in some of the most outrageous conduct. I guess that with the legendary tolerant spirit of the Japanese people, this may seem like a new phenomena but I can assure you that since the dawn of bulletin boards on the nascent Internet, there have been those who would flame others for what the flamer sees as an unpopular opinion. Modern social media only makes it vastly more accessible.
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Posted in: Baldwin calls for police to watch guns on set after 'Rust' death See in context
Vreth wrote (on Nov. 9 at 01:08 pm JST:)
Since this story broke I've noticed so many likeminded people writing harsh comments about this guy. I didn't get why people hated him so much. Looked him up and found out he impersonated Trump on Saturday night live. Hahaha so now the trump internet defense force must step in and flood every comments section with how this is all his fault.
No, Vreth, the reason there are so many "likeminded" people commenting is because Baldwin has been, and continues to be, a boorish, abusive, and loudmouth entitled hack. He is better known for his many abusive comments and actions than for any parts he has ever played. His profanity-laden rant against his daughter is legendary and he has had numerous run-ins with photographers, reporters, and even ordinary, everyday people.
No, Vreth, Baldwin has been hated long before he started parodying Trump on SND (that's Saturday night DEAD, if you can't figure it out.)
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Posted in: Who's next? Jodie Whittaker to leave 'Doctor Who' in 2022 See in context
How about Sean Pertwee? Having the son of a Time Lord play a Time Lord would be very interesting! However, they would first have to retcon the entire 13th Doctor from the timeline.
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Posted in: Robots with rhythm: Boston Dynamics' dancing androids a hit See in context
Yeah, but I'll bet it still was a human running the Steadicam!
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Posted in: 'I know your favourite drink': Chinese smart city to put AI in charge See in context
...and thus began the ascendance of Skynet.
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Posted in: Hollywood action movie clips spotted in China airforce video See in context
GoodlucktoyouToday wrote: (at 09:07 am JST) :
I watched yesterday. Bye bye Guam.
I thought Guam was going to tip over and capsize if 8,000 Marines would be sent to the island...
During a House committee meeting, Rep. Hank Johnson said he feared that stationing 8,000 Marines on Guam would cause the island to "become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize."
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Posted in: Hollywood action movie clips spotted in China airforce video See in context
Well, in all fairness, they probably paid to produce all the film clips, so why couldn't they use them?
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Posted in: Pair arrested for blasting adult video audio inside Harajuku train station toilet See in context
I seem to say it a great deal lately, but play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
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Posted in: Russian voters agree to let Putin seek 2 more terms See in context
Serrano said (Today at 06:55 am JST:)
Hasn't he served long enough?
Is he dead yet? Then, in his eyes, he hasn't.
Michael Machida said (Today at 07:56 am JST:)
Putin is a joke. A silly joke.
More like a dangerous, megalomaniacal joke.
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Posted in: What are some of the most interesting radio programs in Japan? See in context
My favorite Japanese radio program is Minare Koda's Wave, Listen to Me!
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Posted in: Bolton memoir raises concern over Japan alliance if Trump re-elected See in context
GoodlucktoyouJune 25 said (at 10:57 am JST):
Joining with China doesn’t mean becoming a communist state.
Really? I think the people of Hong Kong would beg to differ with you on that point.
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Posted in: Pandemic claims another U.S. retailer: 118-year-old J.C. Penney See in context
Pandemic claims another U.S. retailer: 118-year-old J.C. Penney
They did say that the elderly is a high risk group.
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Posted in: As coronavirus hits pause on touring, musicians perform online See in context
What about LiSA? I just saw what looks to be an online concert posted today by her. You can see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PYKGIeDZLQ&t=134s
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Posted in: Actor, singer, 'The Gambler': Kenny Rogers dies at 81 See in context
From “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In” to “Islands in the Stream," Kenny was a musical force. Thankfully, we'll have all of his music videos, movies and TV appearances to remember him by. Rest in peace, Kenny.
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Posted in: 'Isekai' anime: 5 must-see fantasy anime set in a 'different world' See in context
Of the five series listed, I have only seen two, so I'll comment on them.
Angel Beats: I would have to agree with Fox Sora Winters that Angel Beats is not an isekai. I'm not sure if I'd classify it as sci-fi or fantasy but it doesn't fit the basic premise of an isekai anime.
In Another World With My Smartphone: I cannot believe that Limarc Ambalina would include this series as one of five to watch while rejecting SAO! Smartphone has the most ridiculous plot of any isekai I've seen (and I've seen most of them) in that the hero has the most overpowered smartphone in the history of this, or any other world! It's perpetually charged and gives him the ability to create literally anything. I continued to watch this series when it came out only to see if it could get any worse week-to-week (spoiler alert: it did!)
I would agree with Fox Sora Winters on other isekais to watch. How not to Summon a Demon Lord skillfully combined comedy and adventure. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, while also having a vastly overpowered hero like Smartphone, actually does something positive with the hero's abilities and gives realistic situations and opponents. The saga of Tanya the Evil deals with philosophical and religious topics and The Rising of the Shield Hero turns the isekai genre on its ear!
I can't agree with all of her "avoid" recommendations, however. Yes, Kasuba and Aqua are annoying in Konosuba--but that's the whole point! It's a comedy--there would be no comic tension if they weren't annoying. As for RE:Zero--the airhaeadedness of Emilia and the blind stubbornness of Subaru's unrequited love are frustrating, but that's the stuff of romance novels. It's a classic love triangle story. They don't always break the way you want to but you can't help reading (or watching) them anyway. Isekai Cheat Magicians, on the other hand...read like it was written by committee. It was better than Smartphone, but that's damning with faint praise.
As for my recommendations, I'd add Log Horizon, Gate, and Ascendance of a Bookworm to the list. Log Horizon is a more complete story, as it is more about world building by those who are in a different world involuntarily than SAO's "trying to escape for a game world" premise. Gate is unusual because people don't have to die or get trapped in the different world. They can just travel through a gate to get there. It's probably the most sci-fi based of the isekais but it's done so well that the sci-fi aspects don't hit you in the face all the time...at least in my opinion.
Finally, there's Ascendance of a Bookworm, from the Fall 2019 season. This isekai takes a completely different tack--the main character is not physically or magically overpowered. She's actually a sickly child that the MC inhabits the body of at the beginning of the series. The MC loves books but, in addition to becoming younger and sickly, her host is in a poor family in a world where only the rich can afford books. Determined to bring books and reading to all, the MC struggles through a series of attempts to create her own books. If anything, she's not physically overpowered but mentally overpowered, as she retains all of her memories from her former life, including being able to create many things not imagined in the world she finds herself in. This is a different look at the genre. It does require the story to move at a slower pace than other isekais, but the payoff is enormous--again, IMHO.
Ad for the three series (or two series and a movie) that I haven't seen from the article--Only The Twelve Kingdoms is available streaming legally, on Crunchyroll, so I will catch up with that one. Children Who Chase Lost Voices used to be available on the Anime Network (and its successor, HIDIVE) but it's not longer listed. I usually don't buy physical discs of a series I haven't seen (except when they're at extreme closeout prices) but being that Children is a Makoto Shinkai creation and Tsubasa is from Clamp, I may have to buy them anyway.
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Posted in: 'Isekai' anime: 5 must-see fantasy anime set in a 'different world' See in context
AnimeJohnMikeToday wrote (@10:51 pm JST):
This is something cool I watch anime on https://kissanime2.ws & read manga https://mangasnake.com
Of all the pirate sites to watch anime on, Kiss Anime is the worst! You really need to support the the licensors instead of stealing from them.
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Posted in: James Bond film release pushed back 7 months due to virus See in context
So they've decided to delay the premier by...
wait for it...
007 months.
Somebody had to say it...
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Posted in: Does anime need to start being more politically correct for overseas audiences? See in context
I think the recent issue with Interspecies Reviewers (Ishuzoku Rebyuāzu) and Funimation, which helped bring this concern to light, actually illustrates a totally different problem--that of companies outside of Japan blindly buying up rights to enormous amounts of anime series without regard for, or an understanding of, the content within. It's this desperate attempt to be number one by maintaining control of as many properties as possible that leads to debacles such as this. Perhaps the desire to be first and to ace out all other importers/localizers is the problem. Importers/localizers should be more discerning about what fits their "creative standards" before snapping up every title in a season, instead of being the anime version of Veruca Salt with their "I want it all!" attitude.
@Samt Basu: I think you're off base, there. I know that all series of BanG Dream! have been picked up by Sentai Filmworks. The new Madoka Magica side story is so popular that it's airing on both HIDIVE (Sentai's streaming service) and Funimation. The iDOLM@STER is also popular here in the U.S. If anything hampers the popularity of the musical series over here, it's the limited access to the music! It's near impossible to find the music here and why the untapped U.S. concert market hasn't been tapped is beyond me. There are enough anime conventions occurring across the country that groups could make a nationwide tour piggybacking off of convention appearances. Large audiences would be assured.
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Posted in: Non-infected Americans from cruise ship in Yokohama to be taken back to U.S. See in context
kwattToday said (at 10:47 pm JST)
Why does not the US evacuate infected Americans? There are 428 Americans in all. It abandons them? There are better quarantine facilities and hospitals there.
I would imagine that whoever is involved in the evacuation flight would not want to mix infected and uninfected people on the same flight. Then, instead of having 48 infected people, they could very well have 428 infected people.
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Posted in: Kyoto Animation closing donation account for arson attack victims on Friday See in context
zichi wrote (on Dec. 25 01:38 pm JST):
That is a considerable sum to each victim/family.
I'm sure it is, but I'm also sure that, even in Japan, the medical costs are enormous. I gave to the Sentai Filmworks GoFundMe campaign here in the US and I applaud Kyoto Animation's resolve in ensuring that all the money goes to those who most need it.
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Posted in: Mister Donuts Japan to release sweet potato donuts for autumn See in context
I wonder how they'd keep if air shipped to Oklahoma... I don't usually eat donuts but I'd love to try these. Maybe I could get one of the local chains (like Hurtz Donuts, out of Springfield, MO) to give this a try.
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Posted in: Kyoto Animation arsonist will live but still hasn't been formally arrested See in context
jack o helenToday said (on 18.9.19, 11:56 am JST)
I'd hate to be one of the doctors or nurses there that have to work hard to keep this p.o.s. alive. It must be so aggravating and depressing.
Medical professionals are such because they can rise above such emotions and devote themselves to caring for (as in tending to) the people under their charge. They don't have to like it but they willingly do it. That's why I have such respect for them.
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Nope, just stopped eating eggs, just like anything ELSE that costs too much
Posted in: Soaring egg prices in U.S. piquing interest in backyard chickens
Posted in: Trump pressure to boost Japan defense spending could strain alliance
Bad mistake Sir. History shows trump cannot be trusted. trump will abuse you and Japan.
Posted in: Ishiba, after meeting Trump, voices optimism over averting tariffs
Please let all of these losers lose bigly.
Posted in: Trump, Swift join Super Bowl party as Chiefs chase 'three-peat'