rcch comments

Happy Birthday, Princess Aiko. :)

..

“ At the palace, the princess has been taking care of her dog Yuri and cats Mii and Seven, … “ — Cool names(!) :)

Nice title—a reference to one of (if not the) the best martial arts movies of all time…; great picture…; keep up the good work, JT.

Fighto!Today  05:03 pm JST “ Promising news. Pretty soon due to self-inflicted issues we are all going to have to pack up here and find a new planet - or perhaps a space station - to live on. So obviously this is a good first step in paving the way to having human colonies up there. 

Well done JAXA, well done Japanese government! “

Hahah…; … too much Interstellar, buddy…;

” — It’s not possible!

— No, it’s necessary! “

..

but yes, well done, JAXA.

Today  08:26 am JST “ Seriously - Halloween does not belong in Japan - it is not part of Japanese Culture, just as Christmas day isn't anything but a Commercial excuse here in Japan. “

Just because Japanese (well, most of them) do not know (or do not care about) the Christian/religious meaning behind Halloween (October 31—All Saints’ Eve + November 1 and 2—All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day = Allhallowtide or Hallowmas), Christmas (December 24 and 25—the birth of Christ (at midnight) ) and Easter (the crucifixion on Friday and resurrection on Sunday), that doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to have fun and celebrate whatever they want to celebrate. Btw, Christmas illuminations/decorations in Tokyo are pretty amazing. :)

“ Tight security was in place in Tokyo's vibrant Shibuya district on Saturday, just days before Halloween, with the famous Hachiko dog statue covered with a white curtain bearing the message that the area is "not a venue" for events. “

True (and good job protecting Hachiko, keeping everyone safe/and the area clean!)…; it’s getting “ worse “ every year with more people (many of them are Japanese desperate for attention/tired of the same old routine and foreigners–which can lead to some… “situations”) showing up, wanting to participate in this pseudo–Halloween event/party (if we can call it that)…; Shibuya is taking measures before something bad happens and(!) to send the message that, again, Shibuya and/or the scramble is “ not a venue for events “—the mayor simply feels like this is the right time to take those measures — he a) doesn’t want people to have a wrong image of Shibuya and b) he wants to maintain order and keep everyone safe— completely reasonable and understandable. (I’m all for having fun, btw.)

I heard about this a-hole a few weeks ago…; apparently he has been doing stupid things (and when I say stupid, I mean stupid stupid) for a long time…; what a piece of garbage…; deport this… thing, asap.

After an early screening, “ Dune” filmmaker Denis Villeneuve said he knew he’d just seen “a masterpiece.” He even remembered saying that it would be a big success.

“But where it is right now has blown the roof off of my projection,” Villeneuve told The Associated Press. “It’s a three-hour movie about people talking about nuclear physics.”

…

“When you make a film, you hope that you’re going to connect with an audience in some form or another,” “Oppenheimer” producer Emma Thomas told the AP. “But, particularly with a three-hour film that has a serious subject and is challenging in many ways, this sort of success is beyond our wildest imaginings.”

…

“When a filmmaker as strong as Chris is pointing a finger at you and telling you where to go…you listen…and audiences have been rewarded for it,” filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson wrote in an email. “I know some film buffs who drove from El Paso to Dallas to see the film properly. That’s about 18 hours round trip.”

…

Theaters rallied around “Oppenheimer” from the beginning. The historic TCL Chinese Theatre even brought a film projector back into operation and built a custom booth. It was an effort that was richly rewarded: “Oppenheimer” is the highest grossing film in its 97-year history with $2.3 million and counting, passing the previous record holder, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which grossed $1.5 million in 15 weeks, after just four.

The highest grossing theater overall, though, is AMC Lincoln Square, where every IMAX 70mm showing was sold out for over four weeks. Both locations are among the 10 that will continue to present the film in IMAX 70mm in its 10th weekend.

It’s a masterpiece… and I didn’t even see it (still waiting for the Japanese release date)…; you know you’re doing something right when people don’t even need to watch your stuff to decide if it’s good or not.

And three hours(?)… let me tell you something: I wish it was four. (No, seriously.) … (it can be a challenge, yes, but the movie’s running time shouldn’t be an issue for people who love cinema)… :)

Today  07:21 am JST “ What a bizarre article. 

It's as if there was nothing else to write about in the world, so someone decided to commission that. “

(Those were) My thoughts…; this could well be from the year two thousand. Outdated.

Yes, yes, we (already) know that “Japan is so cool/different/unique/interesting” and that millions of people wanna feel what it’s like to be in Japan…, that’s basically what this article is saying…; but who am I to judge — I love cyberpunk, those views are… yes, cool… and Blade Runner is one of my favorite movies so… okay.

Smh…; do we really need to keep hearing about these press conferences and empty apologies(?); … guy’s dead… but if you wanna hit him, stop calling it Johnny & Associates…, change the name.

CaptDingleheimerAug. 25  08:33 pm JST “ The UN atomic agency tested the water and deemed the radiation to be 7 times less the limit for drinking water. Drinking water.

*The banning of Japanese seafood and uproars in China and Korea have nothing to do with seafood or environmental concern. Rather, it's just another chapter in the long-running d*k measuring contest that's been going on between those two other countries and Japan for years and years. They latch onto any thread they can and pull just for the sake of unraveling. “

Hervé L'EisaAug. 25  09:00 pm JST “ Oh the fear-mongering is out in full-force! 

FWIW, China releases water that is FAR MORE radioactive every day. 

But go ahead and believe the fear-porn.. “

Well said.

..

Peter NeilAug. 25  10:46 pm JST

[ “ Those ignorant conspiracy theorists and anti-Japan folks need to chill and educate themselves…; I’m gonna do a copy/paste here for ya: It’s SAFE. “ ]

ZORGToday  10:22 pm JST “I think is a bit unfair and disrespectful to assume those that oppose the dumping of radioactive waste into the ocean for unknown decades are either conspiracy theorists or ignorant people”

“ But they are. Being ignorant is not deserving of respect. “

Thumbs up, Peter.

The contaminated water has been collected, treated to reduce the radioactive content and stored in more than 1,000 stainless steel tanks at the site. The power-station operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), so far has used what it describes as an advanced liquid-processing system (ALPS) to treat the water. TEPCO says the water undergoes five processing stages of co-sedimentation, adsorption and physical filtration. The plan for disposing of the radioactive waste created in the ALPS process will be “gradually revealed as the decommissioning process progresses”, according to communication the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The ALPS process removes enough of 62 of the 64 radionuclides to bring their concentration below Japan’s 2022 regulatory limits for water to be discharged into the environment. These limits are based on recommendations from the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

But that process does not remove carbon-14 and tritium, so the treated water needs to be diluted further to less than one part per 100 parts of seawater. TEPCO says that the resulting concentration of tritium is around 1,500 becquerels (a measure of the radioactivity of a substance) per litre — around one-seventh of the World Health Organization’s guidelines for tritium in drinking water. The company suggests that the concentration of tritium will drop to background ocean levels within a few kilometres of the discharge site. The carbon-14 in the tanks is currently at concentrations of around 2% of the upper limit set by regulations, TEPCO says, and this will reduce further with the seawater dilution that takes place before the water is discharged.

Jim Smith, an environmental scientist at the University of Portsmouth, UK, says the risk this poses to nations around the Pacific Ocean will probably be negligible. “I always hesitate to say zero, but close to zero,” he says. “The nearest Pacific island is about 2,000 kilometres away.” He argues that a greater risk is posed by keeping the treated water on-site. “The risk of another earthquake or a typhoon causing a leak of a tank is higher, and they’re running out of space.”

“The controlled discharge of wastewater with small amounts of radioactive tritium happens regularly at nuclear sites all over the world,” he added.

IAEA expert Professor Mikhail Balonov shared the same sentiments, adding that nuclear facilities in other countries release more tritium in their wastewater each year, in comparison to the level of tritium in the wastewater that Japan intends to release.

Prof Smith also said that: “Claims have been made about significant risks to the Pacific Ocean ecosystem from the planned Fukushima release. But these are not founded on scientific evidence. Tritiated water can damage DNA if ingested, but it is very weakly radiotoxic and does not biomagnify in the food chain so risks are extremely low.”

..

The wastewater must be removed to avoid accidental leaks in the event of another earthquake as well as to create space for the decommissioning of the plant.

Those ignorant conspiracy theorists and anti-Japan folks need to chill and educate themselves…; I’m gonna do a copy/paste here for ya:

“ Seawater samples taken following the release of wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear reactor showed radioactivity levels well within safe limits, operator TEPCO said on Friday.

TEPCO took what it called rapid tests on Thursday afternoon after the release into the Pacific Ocean began, and on Friday it said that the results showed that radioactivity levels were within safe limits.

"We confirmed that the analysed value is equal to the calculated concentration and that the analysed value is below 1,500 bq/L," TEPCO spokesman Keisuke Matsuo told a news conference.

Becquerels per liter is a measure of radioactivity. The national safety standard is 60,000.

The results were "similar to our previous simulation and sufficiently below" the safety limit, Matsuo added.

"We will continue to conduct analysis every day over the next one month and even after that, maintain our analysis effort," he said. "By providing swift, easy-to-understand explanations we hope to dispel various concerns."

Japan's environment ministry said it had collected seawater samples from 11 different locations on Friday, results of which would be released on Sunday.

The Fisheries Agency also pulled a flounder and a Gurnard fish early Friday from designated sampling spots near the pipe that released the Fukushima water.

"By publishing those data every day in a highly transparent fashion, we will demonstrate our actions based on scientific evidence," said Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is in charge of nuclear policies.

TEPCO says that the water from cooling the remains of three reactors has been filtered of all radioactive elements except for tritium and is safe.

This is backed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which said on Thursday that samples taken from the first batch of diluted water prepared for discharge showed that tritium levels were well within safe limits.

"IAEA experts are there on the ground to serve as the eyes of the international community and ensure that the discharge is being carried out as planned consistent with IAEA safety standards," said the chief of the U.N. body, Rafael Grossi, in a statement. “ ]

It’s SAFE.

I was expecting better from one of the most important / famous mugshots of all time…; that could well be an ordinary picture…; he’s not completely straight…; that could be intentional… ( he doesn’t wanna give his opponents the satisfaction of looking like a criminal / guilty )…; and I was already expecting that angry look…, it’s his way of saying that he was not supposed to be taking that mugshot / he’s innocent…; well, people from both sides can still proudly use this in their flags and t shirts.

Get out of there, Shohei.

It appears that some people misunderstood my comment (look at all those downvotes)…;

this form of discrimination is so normalized in Japanese society that people actually defend the usage of that word (and I’ll admit that, at the end of the day, it’s not a big deal but)…;

‘hafu’ is Japanese society reminding you that you’re not Japanese enough / you’re ‘different’ (this ignorance still persists in Japanese society today, even if you choose to bury your head in the sand)…,

sure, people call you that with a smile on their faces and it’s just a word but there’s a but…; “ you’re attractive, interesting, cool and you can be accepted/successful in this country but hey… you’re ‘hafu’ “…;

of course you’re one hundred percent Japanese and as pure as anyone else but… that ‘reminder’ can be pretty annoying.

But yeah, who cares, right(?)

The former president, long prized as a draw for a TV audience, had already announced on Sunday that he would be a no-show at the Republican presidential debates, despite entreaties from party leadership and Fox News executives.

His absence creates an opening for the chasing pack, who will attempt the high wire act of promoting themselves without angering Trump's base.

Smart move by The Donald…; his presence would only elevate the other candidates…;

(He already won the nomination, he’s the Republican nominee…)

..

my prediction is that there’s a ‘storm’ called Donald Trump coming next year.

..

But for now…

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will be center stage, flanked by fellow governor Doug Burgum, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, former vice president Mike Pence, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and former governors Chris Christie, Nikki Haley and Asa Hutchinson.

… just another boring debate…; interesting combination of characters, though.

‘Hafu’…

An ugly word, indeed…; it gives us the idea that something’s missing and/or (like Politik Kills said) that only the Japanese ‘half’ is important…; the author should’ve addressed this (the history/psychology/meaning behind this word)…; my guess is that she doesn’t wanna make anyone ‘uncomfortable’ … and that’s ok but(!) the article barely scratches the surface.

“Maybe they can show it but just cut out the part where the ship sinks.”

“I haven’t seen Leonardo DiCaprio in anything recently… What’s he doing?”

Lmao!

[ “Oppenheimer” was shot using some of the highest resolution film cameras that exist. Like “ Dunkirk ” and “ Tenet,” “Oppenheimer” was filmed entirely on large format film stock, meaning a combination of IMAX 65mm and Panavision 65mm (think David Lean/"Lawrence of Arabia"), that’s then projected in 70mm.

“The sharpness and the clarity and the depth of the image is unparalleled,” Nolan said. “The headline, for me, is by shooting on IMAX 70mm film, you’re really letting the screen disappear. You’re getting a feeling of 3D without the glasses. You’ve got a huge screen and you’re filling the peripheral vision of the audience. You’re immersing them in the world of the film.”

On a technical level, the IMAX film resolution is almost 10 times more than a 35mm projector and each frame has some 18,000 pixels of resolution versus a home HD screen that has 1,920 pixels.

WHY IS IT SHOT ON 65MM AND PROJECTED IN 70MM?

The 5mm difference goes back to when that extra space on the film had to be reserved for the soundtrack. With digital sound, that’s unnecessary and it is “purely a visual enhancement,” Nolan explained.

…

For Nolan, the “best possible experience” to view “Oppenheimer” in theaters is the IMAX 70mm film presentations. These are also among the rarest, currently set for 25 locations in North America including the AMC Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles, the AMC Lincoln Square in New York, the Cinemark Dallas, the Regal King of Prussia near Philadelphia and the AutoNation IMAX in Fort Lauderdale.

The prints span over 11 miles of film stock, weigh some 600 pounds and run through film projectors horizontally.

There will also be over one hundred 70mm prints (“a fabulous presentation,” Nolan said) sent to theaters around the world, with over 77 (and more to come) on sale in North America at major chains and many independent locations like the Music Box in Chicago and the AFI Silver in Washington D.C.

“The two formats are sort of different and I love them both,” he said.

The sequences projected in IMAX 70mm really “come to life” on those screens, and vice versa for the 70mm sequences on those specific projectors. In IMAX theaters, for example, things shot with IMAX film cameras will expand vertically to fill the entire screen.

IMAX DIGITAL, LASER AND EXHIBITOR PLF OPTIONS

The vast majority of moviegoers in North America will have easier access to digital presentations. These include IMAX digital, which can sometimes mean a laser projected image and other times involves a retro formatted screen, and what’s called “exhibitor PLF,” meaning large format screen and projection systems developed by individual theater chains (like Regal RPX, Cinemark XD and Cineplex UltraAVX). When in doubt, look for an “X” in the name.

But don’t dismay: It’ll still look great, according to Nolan, whose team has worked for six months to digitize the original film for other formats to ensure the best experience on every screen.

“This is the exciting thing about shooting an IMAX film: When you scan it for the digital format, you’re working with the absolute best possible image that you could acquire, and that translates wonderfully to the new projector formats like the laser projectors,” he said.

Nolan said the “IMAX impact” over the last 20 to 30 years has resulted in more theaters paying more attention to presentation, from projection to sound, which has been “great for filmmakers.” ]

Thank you for this…:); very interesting…; this IS one of the best movies of the year (usually, we need to watch a movie to know if it’s good or not…, but with Nolan, we already know it’s gonna be one hll of a ride).

The NBA Finals are set: It's the Heat and the Nuggets

No one cares about these finals, generally speaking…; I like the Joker — great guy, amazing player — and the fact that he can finally(!) be an NBA champion is the only interesting thing (one of the best players of all time deserves at least one ring). Good luck, Denver.

(

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign announcement was mired by repeated technical glitches on Twitter Wednesday evening, in a black eye for the social media platform.

The highly-anticipated announcement, set to be made via a conversation with Twitter CEO Elon Musk and tech entrepreneur David Sacks on Twitter's "Spaces" feature, was delayed as it appeared the platform was overwhelmed. Twitter's mobile app repeatedly crashed and users complained that they were unable to hear the broadcast.

Nearly 700,000 users logged in to hear the announcement roughly 20 minutes after it was launched. The event was then abruptly shut down without explanation.

"The servers are straining somewhat," Musk was heard saying at one point. 

MAGA War Room tweeted an image of the Twitter Spaces with the words "failing to launch…" photoshopped on.

)

You got off on the right foot, Ron.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday said the country had no plans to become a NATO member but …

Are you sure, Fumio(?)…; I know that no one’s gonna mess with Japan because of the US but if Japan joins NATO, no one’s gonna mess with Japan.

(Article 5 — an attack against one Ally is an attack against all Allies.)

1glennToday  07:48 pm JST “ I keep worrying that Ohtani may leave the Angels, in order to have a better chance at winning a World Series ring. The Angels do not have a well-rounded team. 

Ohtani + the Dodgers might be just the ticket, and he wouldn't have to move very far. “

… that’d be something. :)

Today  11:54 am JST “ The Russians seem to have intentionally delayed the capture of Bakmut just to embarrass Zelensky on this specific day.

This suggests two very worrisome things:

1: The Russians have complete tactical control over the battlefield in Bakmut and the withdraws and threats of a pullout by Wagner were merely a ruse.

2: The Russians somehow gained intel on fact that Zelensky would be attending the G7. “

“ Embarrass… “?…; a) he didn’t start this… …; b) he’s not responsible for this… disgusting, pathetic, unprovoked invasion and c) he’s not the one who’s killing thousands of innocent people.

LagunaToday  09:20 am JST

Thank you for sharing your AI’s answer with us…; this is what “ my “ ChatGPT had to say:

AI language models like ChatGPT are designed to process and generate text based on patterns and examples in the data they were trained on. They lack the legal expertise, contextual understanding, and ability to make judgments required for serving as a judge in a criminal trial.

Being an AI language model, I don't have real-time access to information or the capability to assess evidence, listen to witnesses, consider legal arguments, or make informed decisions based on the facts and applicable laws. The role of a judge in a criminal trial involves a complex set of skills, experience, legal knowledge, and human judgment that are currently beyond the capabilities of AI systems.

AI can, however, assist legal professionals by providing research support, analyzing documents, suggesting relevant case law, or helping with legal research. But the ultimate decision-making and judgment in a criminal trial should rest with human judges who can weigh the evidence, consider legal principles, and ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice.

Peter Bradshaw gave the Scorsese Western the full five stars for The Guardian, describing it as both “remarkable,” and “audacious.” Meanwhile, writing for The Independent Clarisse Loughery provided the same score while praising the performance of Lily Gladstone as “extraordinary.” IndieWire‘s David Ehrlich provided similar praise but for DiCaprio, labelling it as a career-best from the actor while in a glowing review for THR David Rooney calls Killers of the Flower Moon a, “classic Scorsese crime narrative.”

( wow ! )

( O__O )

Robert De Niro, from left, Leonardo DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Killers of the Flower Moon' at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 20, 2023. (Photo by Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Look at them…; what a trio…(!)

..

Scorsese's latest — starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro — is one of his most ambitious. Adapting David Grann's nonfiction bestseller, it stretches nearly three and a half hours and cost Apple $200 million to make.

Nothing has been more anticipated at this year’s Cannes Film Festival than “Killers of the Flower Moon” — a historical epic, a bitter crime film and a Great Plains Western — which appeared to meet those expectations. It drew a lengthy standing ovation and repeated cheers for Scorsese, 80, who premiered his first film at Cannes since 1985's “After Hours."

I was expecting it to be four hours

(

*As Leonardo DiCaprio's Killers of the FlowerMoon prepares for its premiere at Cannes, the reported runtime makes it one of the longest movies in history since 1939's Gone with the Wind.*

Killers of the Flower Moon's runtime has been disclosed based on a few reports. While the exact runtime has yet to be confirmed, The Movie Database listed the movie's theatrical runtime as 3 hours and 54 minutes. However, in an interview, Cannes Film Festival's director Thierry Fremaux was asked about the movie's runtime. While he was unsure of the film's final cut, he stated it is five minutes longer than Once Upon a Time in America (if the extended cut, 4 hours and 11 minutes). If so, the movie's extended cut could run up to 4 hours and 16 minutes.

While taking into account the intermission time and overture, Gone with the Wind runs approximately 3 hours and 58 minutes, which is only four minutes longer than Scorsese's film reported runtime. In contrast, Fremaux doesn't specify which version of Once Upon a Time in America he is comparing it to since there were three different cuts. The extended cut hits over four hours, while the United States version was only 2 hours and 19 minutes. The European release was much longer at 3 hours and 49 minutes, in which Fremaux's estimation would line up with the length set by The Movie Database.

*The runtime is a record for Scorsese and DiCaprio, who have regularly worked on lengthy films. Scorsese's longest movies include The Irishman (3 hours and 29 minutes) and Wolf of Wall Street (3 hours), which starred frequent collaborator DiCaprio. DiCaprio's career longest film was Titanic (3 hours and 14 minutes), and he featured in many nearly three-hour movies, such as Django Unchained (2 hours and 45 minutes). Now, Killers of the Flower Moon will break that feat for both director and actor. With Oscar buzz already surrounding it, its lengthiness may affect those responses, but it could still become one of the most competitive movies in the upcoming award season. *

)

but

three and a half hours(?)–that’s an extremely long movie…; :)… I’m convinced that this will be one of Scorsese’s masterpieces…; I can’t wait to see it… but I’m still not sure about the Japanese release date (is there any information about that?).

[ “We call on China to press Russia to stop its military aggression, and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine,” it said. “We encourage China to support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on territorial integrity and the principles and purposes of the U.N. Charter,” including in direct talks with Ukraine.

…

… in appealing for working together on challenges such as climate change, biodiversity, debts and financing needs of of vulnerable countries, global health concerns and economic stability.

… the leaders expressed “serious concern” about the situation in the East and South China seas, where Beijing has been expanding its military presence and threatening to use force to exert its control over self-governed Taiwan. They called for a “peaceful resolution” of China's claim to Taiwan, which has remained unresolved since the communists gained power on the Chinese mainland in 1949.

“A growing China that plays by international rules would be of global interest,” …

The G7 also united in voicing concerns about human rights in China, including in Tibet, in Hong Kong and in the far western region of Xinjiang, where the issue of forced labor is a perennial issue. ]

…

Pretty words… / … we can try… but it’s like talking to a wall…; the only thing China cares about is… China.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived Saturday in Japan for diplomatic talks with the leaders of the world’s most powerful democracies as they tighten sanctions meant to punish Moscow over its 15-month invasion of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy’s decision to visit Hiroshima stems from his “strong wish” to participate in talks with the Group of Seven and other countries that will influence his nation’s defense against Russia, host nation Japan said.

Welcome, Mr. Zelenskyy. Good luck.

Coin lockers at Shinjuku Station in Tokyo are out of service for the duration of the G7 summit in Hiroshima this weekend.

… eight hundred kilometers separate Shinjuku from Hiroshima…;

Today  07:05 am JST “ What Shinjuku got to do with Hiroshima? “

/

Today  10:24 am JST “ Are any of the G7 leaders expected to be anywhere near Shinjuku coin lockers ? “

Good question… / … what everyone’s asking…;

Today  05:29 pm JST "Stop using coin lockers" “ Embarrassing and lazy explanation and a reflection of this country's dreadful knowledge of English. “

Indeed.