starpunk comments

browny1Apr. 3  06:46 pm JST

I like how Billie Eish and her bros Finneas have stepped out of the box of mainstream and write, compose and play/sing original music themselves that is hard to really categorize.

Sounds simple but is layered with textures and verve.

Cool stuff.

I like the complexities in music like that. In 1992 at my university I got to see the members of Genesis set up and program their gear for the songs - drum machine rhythms laced by Phil's slamming the electric and acoustic drums, Tony Banks programming the layered synth textures, Mike Rutherford fooling with the guitar synth, etc.

Even on a newly re-remastered Japanese CD I bought via Amazon of the Rolling Stones CD 'Steel Wheels' (which was originally recorded and mixed digitally back in 1989) reveals details and layers via earplugs that I couldn't hear before; such as in one song Mick Jagger is in the background yelping 'Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! ' ad infinitum, another track he just snarls in the background and in another song I heard an acoustic guitar that I didn't know was there before.

That's what I like hearing, it shows that great time and effort was made for it.

TaiwanIsNotChinaToday  01:02 am JST

TokyoLivingApr. 3 10:48 pm JST

Pray for China's Taiwan province..

Pray for Free Taiwan.

Taiwan is Taiwan, not 'China' and not urn by the CCP. Taiwan is free of China. Taiwanese speak Chinese and are ethnically Chinese but that's all. Taiwan has been free since 1949 so Xi and the CCP can put that in their pipes and smoke it.

The Moon's rotation and its 'year' (orbit) are nearly synchronous and since we're going to establish permanent colonies there, we're going to have to find a way to 'synch' the 'days' and a calendar up for them. Each celestial body has its own time system and they don't follow what we have on Earth.

Mankind is progressing!

OssanAmericaToday  01:17 pm JST

It will take time to assess the full extent of the damage as well as fatalities and injuries.

Hopefully it will not be very many. We can hope.

MoonrakerApr. 2  08:41 am JST

It seems to be an accurate indicator of where we have come as a civilization and species.

There are some songs with repetitive choruses that are still intelligent and enjoyable. And some songs are just plain silly but with catchy melodies that make it all worth the while. Examples are 'Chick-a-Boom (Don'cha Jes Luv It?'', 'I'm Too Sexy'', 'Love Removal Machine', 'Cheer Down', 'Admiral Halsey, Uncle Albert', 'Walk Like an Egyptian' and others.

Then there's some really rotten turgid crap where the repetition in lyrics is used as filler in a song that is wretchedly stupid and musically irritating and awesome in its flat out suckability. I refer you to 'Macarena', 'My Humps', 'Achy Breaky Heart' and other lowest common denominator delights.

It also depends on who you're listening to as well. I remember critics complaining about say Genesis 'selling out' in the 80s. Sure they hit the big leagues but they never surrendered their prog cred.

But most of all music should be fun. Most of it today IS manufactured, with repetitive elements, are simpler (minded) and just isn't FUN. The alt/indy world today is pretty much where I look for new music, there's some good serious artists there who deserve our time and patronage.

Of course I think time, impact, legacy also speaks volumes. In 2018 in an arena in my hometown Justin Tinkerbell had a sold out show with his simpleton crap music, but at an outdoor arena just nearby Joan Jett's show was also sold out. However 'simple' some of her songs may be, she has more cred and has a track record of over 40 years to prove it!

A terrible tragedy for sure. One death is still two too many. Hope no more bodies are found. Prayers for these people.

njca4Today  12:53 am JST

Yes, it happens in other countries, too, there's no denying that.

But it's the fact that America doesn't do anything to address the issue that has the rest of us dumbfounded.

Most other countries react with gun bans or legislation that limits gun ownership, Australia, Norway and New Zealand did that.

Canada does too. When I visited there last time in 2019, they asked about that. There are limits on the amount of ammunition and what purpose. Just plain 'conceal carry' doesn't mean squat there.

theFuToday  01:50 am JST

But it's the fact that America doesn't do anything to address the issue that has the rest of us dumbfounded.

You are confused. Lots has been done in the US, but when the US constitution was written, owning of firearms was included as a core "right". It isn't just a normal law, like driving a vehicle with a license falls under. It is a core "right" - like freedom of speech. Changing those core "rights" effectively requires 2/3rd of the country to agree.

Restrictions on those "rights" are very difficult to make happen too. SCOTUS has struck down many attempts to restrict firearm ownership by well-meaning representatives.

So, imagine how hard it would be to take away freedom of speech, expression in any liberal country. That's how hard removing the right to own a firearm in the US will be to take away.

And these militia hate turds use that as an excuse to commit the evils that they do. Kill your neighbor, kill your lover, kill your friend. Go out and bash some Jews. They all kowtow to that greedy screaming hysterical loudmouth who has headed the NRA for decades and used the money to buy a fleet of yachts.

What can be done is to have laws that require adults to lock up their firearms at home in a way that prevents children from access. Even that restriction hasn't gotten far and I don't know why not. Having a trigger lock doesn't seem like THAT much of an imposition to me. 

That hardly ever get enforced. Cops really have it tough these days, pull somebody over and they might get their head blown off by some gat-toting maniac. Dark windows in cars only add to the problem.

And the past few years have shown that human life means nothing in America, 'Pro-life' my butt. How about making things livable for the living first?

TaiwanIsNotChinaApr. 2  07:01 am JST

RIP brave service members.

> JohnApr. 2  07:40 am JST

Quite the full life.

OssanAmericaApr. 2  10:02 am JST

Heroes for sure. But also victims of Naval Intelligence failure. RIP.

A hero of a long past war of 80 years ago. A survivor of an uncalled for attack by a fascist regime that ruled a land is now free and an ally.

So much has changed since then and heroes like him saved the world from the fascist Axis. Quite a full life with many tales of wisdom to tell. We saluuuuuuuute YOU!!!!! (21 cannon salute)

METATTOKYOApr. 2  05:51 pm JST

SeigiToday  05:18 pm JST

It can happen anywhere even in the highly praised education utopia called Finland!

Yes, very true. Like Switzerland, Finland has quite open gun possession laws, as people like to hunt but a licence and background checks, etc. are required. Finlans has a pretty low crime rate and a high reporting rate and gun violence rate so this is an anomaly.

There's one big word in this - responsibility. Here in America for decades and decades we've had this shrieking greedy loudmouth lunkhead running the NRA screaming, 'Buy them before they're banned! I will save you! Blaaaaaaaa-aaaaa-aaaaahhhhh!!!!'. That and a lot of scummy phony armies of thugs who aren't mature enough to join a real disciplined military but are always finding somebody 'different' to hate and an excuse to do so.

Screaming lies about immigrants, screaming lies about Blacks, screaming lies about Jews (always the Jews). screaming screaming screaming! And of course the lying sassybrat Caligula racist Antichrist known as 'Donald Trump' is always promoting violence and hatred.

Now of course this is not so common in countries like Finland and Switzerland. That's because the attitudes of most people in those countries appear to be more mature. Thing about this is, overseas incidents like this only adds to the fodder of these greedy gun-worshipping loudmouths, lunkheads and militia crud in the U.S.A. The media stirs up the pot once again. . And they even use the Bible as a cop-out for it, too - saying 'oh, doomsday is tomorrow, we've gonna have wars, blah blah blah' and they use it as excuses excuses excuses for their unchristian hate.

TheDalaiLamasBifocalsApr. 2  06:48 pm JST

There will always be random nutters, even in places like Finland.

Yes are there. Gun smuggling is a lucrative business, that's a fact. Just like drugs are. And there are scummy neu-Nazis in Scandanavia too. One thing is, most Finns seem to be too mature and informed to fall for that crap.

TobleroneToday  09:57 am JST

Should we care? Its a very plastic product from a corrupt and obfuscating industry.

Those who enter that sordid world knowingly take on its acoutrements and sell it to the ignorant public.

Why should it matter and why should anyone even care. Stars have their own lives, or at least they should. They have the same rights as everyone else.

They don't owe anybody anything, it's just supposed to entertainment for Pete's sake.

"to convey my sincere apologies to the fans."

Fans? Fanatics. These stars deserve a life and these fanatical devotees should get one.

It's unrealistic to expect these idols to revolve around everybody else, esp. to an extreme 'fanbase'. There is a word to describe these fanatical boobs (with the first syllable being 'STAR') that I won't repeat here.

'Sorry, I'm hungry.'

He's going to sorry now in prison. Just wait, he'll get at least one meal every day but there's no guarantee that it'll be palatable.

Big Dummy.

HawkToday  07:13 am JST

Investigators believe there was more than one gun used in the shooting, Terry said.

Armed groups of 12 to 17-year-olds running around town near midnight. What could go wrong?

I hope that shrieking greedy hysteria-stirring Wayne LaPierre is happy. His lies made him rich and he doesn't care about the consequences.

TaiwanIsNotChinaToday  07:04 am JST

Hopefully someday soon Turkey will be free of the Islamist and Russian influence.

In America 'turkey' is a slang term with pejorative connotations.

> UChosePoorlyToday  07:44 am JST

Congrats on your democratic elections, Türkiye!

Congrats, Turkey! Show that turkey that you won't put up with his personality cult or authoritarian crap!

No surprise. In 2016 they tried to hack secrets from a textile factory in New England to no avail, while Russia was scanning the US electoral college as a trial for the Trumpian overthrow in November.

China hasn't been as successful in hacking like Russia has, but they're trying.

Gene HennighToday  12:33 am JST

Another "sequel". Another movie based on another movie based on another movie. . .

Hollywood, just one time -- one time -- let a chain of movies go. Do something else. Anything else at all. Don't you have one idea for a new movie not based on another movie? Not even one? I watched the first two of these movies. They were the same. The same story. One, just one original movie. Please.

Yes. Stop bastardizing the originals' legacy with this rubbish. It's insulting to our intelligence and not only is it not very interesting, it just ain't fun!

Don't even think of remaking 'Purple Rain'. Don't even think about another 'Indy Jones'. The Covid pandemic put everything to a screeching halt and Hollywood had plenty of time to come up with some new fresh ideas but noooooooooooooooooo......

'Top Gun 2' where the main character still has the rank of 'captain' pilot and finds his old jet 36 years later (does it need an oil change or what?) and everything's ob-la-di ob-li-duh as if nothing in the world has changed. A major insult to the intelligence, esp. this US Navy veteran. Yet the gullible American public ate up this bullcrap, every bit of it. And don't get me started on those Cliche City 'Avatar' movies!

Or, as Stevens put it: “We’re just the side show.”

That's what Godzilla flicks are supposed to be in the first place.

'Godzillllllllllllllllllllllllllllluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' -

Blue Oyster Cult

AntiquesavingToday  09:06 am JST

Not mentioned in the article is that one reason this version is so much more accurate is because of Hiroyuki Sanada who apparently only agreed to star in the series if it stuck to more accurate history and culture and he is one of the producers.

His insistance on Japanese language etc...is said to be a major factor in how this got to be what it is!

That would make it better and more 'real' to us Western viewers.

“Japan bashing” spread in the U.S., and visceral anger exploded when American autoworkers smashed Toyota cars in March 1983 and congressmen shattered a Toshiba boombox with sledgehammers on the Capitol lawn in 1987. That same year, the magazine Foreign Affairs warned of “The Coming U.S.-Japan Crisis.”

In TIME magazine in 1991 there was an article about 'Is the US and Japan going to war?'. It was ridiculous sensationalistic crap. And some people in my immediate family have always been hung up on this 'Pearl Harbor' excuse to hate Japanese. Funny thing is, many of my uncles served in the Korean war and spoke of admiration and respect for Japan; went on liberty call there and they loved it. Got some good quality items there, cheap. They spoke admiration for Koreans too, but no love for the NK government or China's CCP!

I remember this TV show from my teens, I thought it was pretty good. It inspired me to take Japanese Studies for a non-Western/US humanities requirement in college. It was fun and I kicked the living snot out of it.

And for once, here's a 'newer' version of a TV miniseries that looks good.

zibalaToday  08:47 am JST

U.S. fighter jets strike storage facilities in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen

This is the correct approach. Eliminate the terrorists no matter the costs in Yemen, in Gaza, and wherever they fester.

Contrary to what the Houthi hooligans say, this really has nothing to do with Gaza or Israel. That's a lame excuse and they're harassing anybody, everybody who comes through the Red Sea. Remember the Barbary wars of 200 years ago and the Gulf of Sidra provocations Qaddafi caused during the 80s. This is simply a case of modern pirates causing problems for everybody in the sea lanes nearby.

Joe told these turkeys to stop it, they stepped it up and attacked one of our US Navy vessels. If this is what it takes to show them we mean business then let's let them have it.

As a US Navy veteran I don't like war but at times like this you can't let someone get away with crap like this. All the skippy kid armchair generals may love seeing the drama on TV but they'll never know.

Wars are not fun. It's like a policeman's job, you do what you have to. It doesn't mean that you're gonna like it. No job is perfect or 100% fun.

Astronomers, biologists, physicists, zoologists, botanists and more. The sun will 'disappear' for a few minutes, effecting everything around you. I'm very excited. I've seen solar eclipses before, lots of lunar ones too but never a total solar eclipse. This should be fun.

On Ukraine aid, which Biden and his administration have argued was critical and necessary to help stop Russia’s invasion, the package provided $300 million under the defense spending umbrella. That funding is separate from a large assistance package for Ukraine and Israel that is bogged down on Capitol Hill.

Making and selling drones to the Ukraine ensures various jobs for Americans in many skilled trades and with degrees.

bass4funkToday  10:52 am JST

I only care about what the Border Patrol and people that live along the border and police say, everything else is just pure unfiltered noise.

There is gobs of moolah for defense and that includes the Mexican border, which never was a true problem in the first place. It's well guarded enough and this 'invasion' BS is a racist Orwellian lie and a total insult to ALL of us who served in the military. Since that's now about 10% of the US population, that means that there are many armchair generals screaming 'Fire!' and pushing all this brainwash crap on a public who have not experienced or seen things and knows zero about them. Besides, has anyone brought up a 'Canadian invasion'? All those French-speakers in the eastern provinces coming to conquer New England, OMG!!!!!

BlacklabelToday  10:33 am JST

border stuff as well 

We want border stuff. Just that.

not border stuff “as well”.

We got it. And we'd better not abduct children and place them in cages again. trump MUST be punished for that and many other crimes!

Speak of the devil, at least Joe didn't a roomful of fast food and waste it like Chump did. Joe negotiated with Congress and hammered it out with them. This is called compromise, folks. I learned about it in the 5th grade. This is how you run a democracy.

Oh that's right now, make Ukraine the heavy here.

Putin has his fingers (military and cybernetic) into so many nations' pies and he's paranoid as hell. Not to mention those UN sanctions must be biting him in the butt. The Russian public must be getting restless too with the demonstrations and antiwar sediment brewing.

He just 'won' a bogus election and this wild security issue is a humongous SLAP across his corrupt stupid face. No matter whodunit (and I seriously doubt that ISIL is behind this) this is a serious dent on Putin's power grip. He has so many enemies around the world.

This is a very tragic event, no doubt about it, At the same time, maybe Puddy Tat ought to start thinking about withdrawing from Ukraine, or maybe boarding a jet and seeing if China or NK or Belarus would give him asylum.

JimizoMar. 22  03:41 pm JST

The biggest artist in the world was -- no surprise -- Taylor Swift

Absolute behemoth in the pop world.

Got to give that kind of success respect regardless of your musical tastes.

She rerecorded several previous albums and issued them with 4 different cover art pictures each - collect them all. That's how she made so many sales last year. It's crass marketing and her looks also are a factor, not talent.

Just like Shania Twain when that QT sold 10 zillion copies of an awful CD in the late 90s. In the 00's the European form comes out in the US with a different picture and tracklist.

But just slip that CD in your player, your stereo or in your car and then you hear some just plain grueling audio junk. And your mind sez, 'Yeeeccchhh!!!'.

StrangerlandMar. 23  07:33 am JST

While what he did is illegal, it does not sound like an abduction to me.

In Japan, taking in a minor without their parent's permission is legally considered abduction/kidnapping.

It's still by trickery and deception so what's the difference?

Fighto!Mar. 22  04:58 pm JST

Good for them.

The Emperor and Empress will surely bring renewed hope to the disaster-stricken locals in the area after the tragic event in January.

Say what you will but the Royals aren't just sitting their like frogs on toadstools. Good gesture on their part.

This reeks of the Pete Rose scandal of 1990. And it's a shame.

I've seen this technology before at the Parma NASA museum. A programmed hologram of John Glenn is there in a glass box, it answers and 'reflects' on his career in the Marine Corps, WW2, Korean war, NASA, etc. But if you ask it something like 'How delicious was your grandma's fried chicken recipe?' it would respond, 'Please hit the button and ask another question'.

These preset holograms are a great way to pass on knowledge to younger generations. In this case, you can learn about the horrors of WW2 and see why wars are to be avoided when possible.

There used to be a Holocaust survivor who'd visit my campus when the Jewish Hillel students had their 24/7 name read-off of all Holocaust victims (Jewish and non) during spring quarter. He'd briefly talk about his survivor experiences and mentioned that these ugly memories must not be forgotten, or repeated.

He's now dead. But with holograms like this, the knowledge, memories and experiences are there for all of us to learn from. And we need to learn.

About 1 million Rohingya from Myanmar are refugees in Bangladesh. They include about 740,000 who fled in 2017 to escape a brutal counterinsurgency campaign by Myanmar security forces, who were accused of committing mass rapes and killings and burning thousands of homes. The Rohingya minority in Myanmar faces widespread discrimination and most are denied citizenship.

And this is entirely the fault of the Myanmar dictatorship, every bit of it. They are fighting internal ethnic wars against peoples who speak languages and use writing systems the totalitarian regime doesn't like. But this is the worst case, an utter genocide.

The UN needs to get off their duffs and impose sanctions on the junta, hard. It's been happening for over 62 years now, it's time for a change.

Britain is a nation of mostly white/European people but there are several minority ethnic groups there just like in the US and Canada. And they are all everyday people.

There are Black Britons in the Parliament and of course the PM himself is an India Brit.

Hester has apologized for making “rude” remarks about Abbott but says he’s not racist.

That's the alibi they all say.

a Black member of Parliament made him “want to hate all Black women” and that she “should be shot.”

Racism or not, saying a fellow cabinet member 'should be shot' has no place in a democratic government function. There's no excuse for that kind of talk, it's uncalled for. Black or no Black, there's no justifying that.

“want to hate all Black women”

Want to? So you going to judge all of a particular group of people because of someone you don't agree with? That's dumb. Am I supposed to 'want to hate all Black mem' because of R Kelly? I don't. I don't care what race/color/etc. R Kelly is, he is repulsive and disgusting and I don't like sex deviants/perverts/pedos/rapists. period.

Alan HarrisonToday  01:33 am JST

Why didn't she say what type of cancer she has?

Why don't you tell us all about all your health problems?

Does it matter? My grandmother died of stomach cancer after a 10 year battle in 1986. A college friend of mine died of lung cancer in late 1992, age 27. It all looks the same in the end. Seeing someone you know and love in such a condition is horrible, it makes you want to cry or upchuck.

Cancer is an ugly horrible disease in every form. I hope Catherine can keep up the fight, I wish her the best of health.

Peter14Mar. 23  09:29 pm JST

I'm talking about Europe and America that would need to get involved to get it under control. Ask the average American and I'm quite sure 7 out of 10 would say what islands/waters?

Overly harsh on the US education system. All are aware of the Philippines and its status as ally of the US. All are constantly informed of Chinese bullying and coercion. It will never be "overlooked" or ignored by first world nations, no matter how much China wants it to be so.

No it's not. Many people in the US don't even know what their state capitals are, where San Francisco or Boston are on a map, anything.

They watch the TV news and cheer the wars but have no idea why, where or what for. The can't find the Red Sea on a map, they don't know why it's so important or why we can't let those Houthi hooligans get away with their piracy crap. It's just entertainment for them.

And they don't know where the Philippines are or even know the fact that it's not on the Asian mainland but in the Pacific like Japan is. Service members in the Navy and Marines would surely know but not Joe Blow Civilian USA. And that's sad. They fall for every doggone fib they get told, by jerks like trump.