randombs comments

When I saw Daft Punk in Osaka in 2007 I filmed almost the entire concert on my camera. I was courteous in that I switched off the camera screen while recording. When I got home to look at the video I wondered what the heck I did that for. The sound was bad and I had no proper memories of the actual concert happening live because I was busy framing the shot.

I saw them again in Tokyo that weekend and this time I kept the camera at home. It made me realise that the memory you want to play back is what your eyes recorded, not your camera/phone screen.

Besides, there's always - ALWAYS - someone with a better camera than me and I prefer to look at their photos/videos :)

When Utada came to London there was a very strict no-recording policy. My friend took a photo(just at the start when a DJ was playing, Utada wasn't even on-stage yet) and within a minute a security guard was on us. I told my friend to put the damn camera away!

I never record concerts, now. Nor take pictures. If it's classical or something I may record the sound to listen to later. It's much more fun being caught up in the now than planning the memory for later.

Great news!

I'm already a Netflix UK subscriber and use Unblock-Us DNS to watch different territory stuff so I don't care if the selection is rubbish.

We signed up with Tsutaya so we can rent subtitled Western stuff like Sherlock without having to splash out on cable TV so this would just make things a bit more convenient, even if it doesn't sport the latest blockbuster programmes and movies.

I always end up moving around people on phones because I actually have no argument for not seeing them if my attention isn't on a device of some sort.

It's a tought one. I feel like people should understand it's dangerous and not to rely on others but I don't feel comfortable bumping them to prove that point. Most likely they'll just think I'm a dick and continue on their merry way.

I use my phone in public when checking the map, etc, but only if there's a wide, empty space in front. And, even then, it's just glances. I'm getting better at sending messages while looking ahead(autocorrect ftw), but if someone were to intentionally bump into me because they crossed my path for the 1/2 second it took me to glance at my phone I'd be pretty pissed.

I posed a similar question to what others have asked on here: why are the women in the video not fighting back as we'd expect?

One reply I got from a woman was: "I'd assume someone doing that isn't right in the head so I couldn't anticipate their reaction. I'd much likely not struggle and then get out of that situation and try calling for help."

Makes sense, I think. You people saying step back and kick him in the balls are very likely to never have found themselves in a situation like this.

I'm more concerned at bystanders not doing anything. The Family Mart one is particularly strange - one woman in the back is laughing. Someone feel she has to play along because she'll get no help from anyone nearby.

We were on the train in the summer and a man collapsed as he was boarding. Hit his head on the floor, too. No one did anything. My gf got up to see if he was ok, by which time a station attendant had appeared and he had regained consciousness. Thankfully he was ok but I stayed in my seat the whole time. I'm like a documentary photographer here. I just observe. Like watching a lion eat a rabbit.

But it brings up the dilemma - if I don't do anything, sooner or later my inaction will be responsible for something bad. I wouldn't want the one time I sat back and did nothing result in something really bad for the person.

I'll wait until my Japanese gets better. I've read lots of police horror stories but a number of them involve the foreign 'perp' giving the police a mouthful. If I ran into an idiot/racist policeman I wouldn't give him even more to work with.

In a way our decision to stay out of trouble means we end up doing the exact same thing the Japanese do(the same thing we accuse them of doing): nothing. Granted, our reasons are to avoid all that J-cop harassment but the more of us who get harassed, the more they'll grasp the number of people genuinely helping out.

In the summer I bought 90x180cm aluminium foam sheets from the 100Y shop. They're meant to be placed under your rug with the kotatsu on to reflect the heat back into the room but I hung them from my balcony door, aluminium side facing outwards. This reflected the sun's heat back outside and helped cool my apartment down in conjunction with the air conditioner. The temperature difference on each side of the sheet was huge.

They also block out a fair amount of light and so helped me sleep for longer(my curtains are quite thin).

The best thing is, unlike blankets or fans, they can be used when it's hot AND when it's cold. When it got cold I just started hanging them aluminium side in which reflects heat from the air conditioner back into the room, keeping it warmer for longer.

The trick is you need to keep a small air gap between the window and the sheet for it to be effective.

I also put one over my front door which is metal and freezing cold. Now the entrance/kitchen area doesn't freeze so quickly. I use magnets so that hanging and removing them is quick and hassle-free.

420Y bought enough sheets to cover my balcony sliding door, the small window and the front door. Try it. You'll be glad you did :)