Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
But they’re not doing well, yet… Sometimes, projects like these seem like a US Film company “saving face” by taking the huge films from China and getting them some screens in the US. Is this on the right track, industry person? Sounds simplistic, but it seems like an obvious move. The low box office dollars might be a “trade”. Included in the short list of films, “Beginning of the Great Revival” which is a blockbuster in China, but of course seems like it would have little commercial appeal in the US. It does star our friend, Daniel Wu. (LA Times – China Lion Films)
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Mickey Rooney co-starred as the neighbor YELLOW FACE character in Breakfast With Tiffany. On August 11th if it all goes through, you can see him at an outdoor screening, buckteeth, ching chong accent, and in his 4 foot tall glory. If he were blackfaced, of course, it would be a racist branded movie, but because Audrey Hepburn is looking so cute, it gets a pass. I remember when I first saw this. I’m guessing it was 1989? I’ve heard it was supposed to be a good classic movie. I’ve seen photos of Hepburn, she looked great, of course the movie was going to be cute. Not more than two minutes after Mickey Rooney – the neighbor makes his debut, I had to shut it off in shock. In 1989, it was the racism. I felt like I got hit. Then I realized, although it’s super fictional and ridiculous, I still wasn’t okay with it. I’m less into barking about racism, since I think most of the racists are ignorant and can’t be changed, unless by their own awakening or by their own death. Rooney himself may think that it’s all okay, but of course, he’s defending his own honor. It’s just a sign of the times. Even blackface was okay ages ago. Maybe this movie deserves a pass – as a film that should stay out of the limelight and in a vault somewhere. It’s a reminder of different times, and it’s the perfect vehicle of racism to show at Klan rallies. Klan! There’s a rally at the Brooklyn Bridge August 11th. (Gothamist – Breakfast at Tiffany’s)
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By now, everyone should know that the combined earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in Japanon March 11th left Fukushima and surrounding areas devastated. But the rest of the country is, by and large, in great shape. And that’s the message the Travel Volunteer project wants to deliver. Those who apply by July 31st will have the chance to be the lucky person or couple selected to travel throughout Japan’s 47 prefectures for 101 days, absolutely free. The only requirement is that the winner(s) honestly chronicle their impressions of their travel experience and the condition of Japan on a blog and through social networking sites. Travel Volunteer apparently wants an objective outside source to tell the world how Japan is living and breathing since the March 11th disaster. There are few qualifications to apply, but they include fluency in English and having never lived in Japan. Five finalist individuals or couples will be selected, and they must be able to travel to Japan for the final selection process by September 12th. The chance to spend almost 1/3 of a year traveling inJapan for free is unique and exciting, your basic “once in a lifetime” opportunity. Jump on it. (Travel Volunteer – Travel Japan for Free)
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In Japanese it’s called the Nemuri Tie, which in English literally means Sleep Tie. It’s a new product in Japan, and just one look at the graphic to the left will instantly show you pretty much what it is for and how to use it. It’s a pretty straight-forward idea, of course, and makes a lot of sense at first glance. But the implications of a fashion item like this are worth considering. Japanese offices typically are large rooms with many desks and no cubicle walls. Is a salaryman going to use this tie at his desk and risk getting busted for sleeping on the job? And if a guy did have a private office, wouldn’t it be easier and more comfortable to keep a decent-sized pillow hidden in a desk drawer? And what about hard-working female Japanese office workers, who typically don’t wear neckties? This inflatable cravat pretty much ignores that demographic. Well, perhaps it’s easy to overanalyze a well-intentioned product created in a country noted for its workers’ long hours and short sleeping schedules. (The Telegraph UK – Japan’s Sleeping Tie)
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Matsumoto City, Japan, isn’t that big. It only has about a quarter of a million people. But it does boast two rather beautiful castles. One dates from the early 16th century and is a fine example of a Japanese hirajiro flatland castle. The other one dates from 1950 and sells secondhand books. The bookstore is named Seikando, and its owner made a point of building it to look like nearby Matsumoto Castle when that structure underwent five years of major renovations sixty years ago. Other than that, details about the place in English are pretty sparse. But it is a very interesting and cool discovery, and a great example of the wonderful things to celebrate about the differences between other countries and our own. And it may start you wondering if your ordinances and local zoning laws would allow such unusual construction. (Japanese Castle Explorer – Castle For Used Books) A brief description of the bookstore and its history can be found on this independent tourism site.
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