I went to a Victoria's Secret outlet for the first time ever today with my cousin and a girl from Japan. Everything was incredibly cheap: 10 for $20 panties, 3 for $9 bras, things like that.
Well, I caught the Japanese girl browsing through the size Cs and Ds bras in the bins and became thoroughly bewildered. If you know Asian girls, you'll know that most of the skinny Asians girls (not all, but most) are flat. Like...boards. This girl was no exception. I mean, she wasn't completely flat, but the bras she was looking at could slingshot a pair of big coconuts or something.
Well...this is because in Japan, the bra sizes are much more gradual, so her size is actually a 70D in Japan. I had no idea what the United States equivalent of that was, so I had to bust out my new handy-dandy internet-savvy cellphone and look it up.
70 is referring to 70 centimeters of the under measurement, so that would be about a 32 band size in the United States. The size D in Japan is equivalent to a B in the US. Thus, her bra size is about a 32B.
Referencing manga, I now know why a lot of female manga characters have such large bust sizes...but still, a lot of them simply LOOK out of proportion (see One Piece for details. I love One Piece nonetheless.)
And that concludes my short international bra size blog post.
PS Anyone see my boob puns...? lol
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Houses
[NOTE: I wrote this late Friday night, so though the date is "Saturday" I'm referring to Friday when I write "today".]
I visited two enormous, amazing houses today. However, though they were both incredible, they were very different.
One was an old house built in the early 1900s that evidently survived the great earthquake and has the chandeliers, the detailed engravings on wood, spiral staircase, secret doors, laundry chutes, old tile decorations, and a black, cast-iron gate. One of the rooms' ceiling was completely amazing, like the ceiling of some very detailed hotel or church or something.
The other was a square, modern, artsy, large-roomed, three-story house. As in, the chandelier isn't the typical chandelier you see, but was a artsy collection of square and rectangle lights that hung together in a cluster above the double-length stairs.
I spent more time in the first house and since I'm an old-fashioned art type of person, I guess I was a lot more fascinated with that house. Nevertheless, they were both awesome! The house I grew up in was also an old Spanish-type house, early 1900's I think. It's now exotically filled with American-Asian decor. It's also fairly big, but nothing compared to these two. Now, I wonder if the house I grew up in elicits the same reaction that I had with the houses I visited today.
That's my interesting experience (and thoughts) of the day!
I visited two enormous, amazing houses today. However, though they were both incredible, they were very different.
One was an old house built in the early 1900s that evidently survived the great earthquake and has the chandeliers, the detailed engravings on wood, spiral staircase, secret doors, laundry chutes, old tile decorations, and a black, cast-iron gate. One of the rooms' ceiling was completely amazing, like the ceiling of some very detailed hotel or church or something.
The other was a square, modern, artsy, large-roomed, three-story house. As in, the chandelier isn't the typical chandelier you see, but was a artsy collection of square and rectangle lights that hung together in a cluster above the double-length stairs.
I spent more time in the first house and since I'm an old-fashioned art type of person, I guess I was a lot more fascinated with that house. Nevertheless, they were both awesome! The house I grew up in was also an old Spanish-type house, early 1900's I think. It's now exotically filled with American-Asian decor. It's also fairly big, but nothing compared to these two. Now, I wonder if the house I grew up in elicits the same reaction that I had with the houses I visited today.
That's my interesting experience (and thoughts) of the day!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Snow Shaved Ice...and Snowgurt?
In a few hours I will be waking up to go to play badminton at my ol' high school...oh, the good days when I got up like this every morning for practice...
But I have to report on this before I go to sleep. Just to prove that there is something interesting happens every day! And that could be something learned, experienced, or whatever. Today, it was an experience.
I went to a Taiwanese eatery called "Class 302" today and had this shaved ice that looked like someone mixed together milk and water, froze it, shaved it into bowls all fluffy-like, and then put stuff like fruit or melted brown sugar on top of it. I call it "snow-shaved ice"! (I think the store just calls it "shaved ice", but since it's so different than other shaved ice, I can't call it that.)
Best shaved ice ever! I took a picture. I'd never had anything like it before...it was great! I think it was in West Covina...? But I'm not sure. This led to a conversation about opening a store that had both snow-shaved ice and frozen yogurt, and that way all the good stuff will be in one place. The name of the store? Snowgurt!
I'm not sure if there is already a store or something called Snowgurt. If not, I copyright it! =P
Short post, but tasty. :)
But I have to report on this before I go to sleep. Just to prove that there is something interesting happens every day! And that could be something learned, experienced, or whatever. Today, it was an experience.
I went to a Taiwanese eatery called "Class 302" today and had this shaved ice that looked like someone mixed together milk and water, froze it, shaved it into bowls all fluffy-like, and then put stuff like fruit or melted brown sugar on top of it. I call it "snow-shaved ice"! (I think the store just calls it "shaved ice", but since it's so different than other shaved ice, I can't call it that.)
Best shaved ice ever! I took a picture. I'd never had anything like it before...it was great! I think it was in West Covina...? But I'm not sure. This led to a conversation about opening a store that had both snow-shaved ice and frozen yogurt, and that way all the good stuff will be in one place. The name of the store? Snowgurt!
I'm not sure if there is already a store or something called Snowgurt. If not, I copyright it! =P
Short post, but tasty. :)
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Grunion Run
So many crazy awesome fun things are happening this week and I can't keep up because I'm so exhausted from the day to day. But I have to say the one thing that I guess sticks is the Grunion Run yesterday (was at the beach since 4pm waiting for it at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro)
Go search the internet on what it is because I'm too tired to explain it properly, but in short: Grunion are fish that like sex on the beach.
Anyway, I got to hatch some in a small cup with ocean water. You shake it up a bit and the eggs start popping into little fish! It was really cool.
In the end I didn't actually see any Grunion pop up onto the beach (though I have before in my childhood...). I did see some caught Grunion in some random people's bucket, though. heheh.
Go search the internet on what it is because I'm too tired to explain it properly, but in short: Grunion are fish that like sex on the beach.
Anyway, I got to hatch some in a small cup with ocean water. You shake it up a bit and the eggs start popping into little fish! It was really cool.
In the end I didn't actually see any Grunion pop up onto the beach (though I have before in my childhood...). I did see some caught Grunion in some random people's bucket, though. heheh.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The *dundundun* DMV
I stood in line today at the Long Beach DMV. For a duration of the time, I was standing outside. Other than a momentary flash of worry at the hint of rainfall and the fact that I needed $66 that wasn't in my pocket to pay for the tests I was taking, the DMV wasn't as "dundundun" as usual.
(So if you don't know what "dundundun" is, it's the ominous sound effect. So think big, dark, and ominous)
The line went a lot faster than I thought. I got the call number G208. Any significance?
...
...
Not really. But I got my papers signed, went to get my picture taken (YES! Finally new license picture. I looked like a criminal in my first license picture...), and went into the small side room to get my tests. I had four total, so no complaining about Class C driver's license tests: General Knowledge Class C, Gen. Knowledge Class B, Passenger Endorsement (so I can drive little kiddies...and people), and Air Brakes (so I know how to use air brakes. That way the little kiddies and people I drive around won't die in a crash because I know how to stop the damm thing! Yay!)
I missed like 7 on my Class B test, but got a perfect on Air Brakes--the one I studied. Hm...maybe studying does pay off...? Let's see if the lesson sticks for the upcoming school year...*cough cough*
One more week of behind the wheel training and I'll be ready to test...and to drive you peeps around. MUAHAHAHAHA!!! (why the evil laugh? I think you know the answer...*cough* *cough*)
P.S. Hm, I've been coughing a lot at the end there. I don't think I have a cold, though...
(So if you don't know what "dundundun" is, it's the ominous sound effect. So think big, dark, and ominous)
The line went a lot faster than I thought. I got the call number G208. Any significance?
...
...
Not really. But I got my papers signed, went to get my picture taken (YES! Finally new license picture. I looked like a criminal in my first license picture...), and went into the small side room to get my tests. I had four total, so no complaining about Class C driver's license tests: General Knowledge Class C, Gen. Knowledge Class B, Passenger Endorsement (so I can drive little kiddies...and people), and Air Brakes (so I know how to use air brakes. That way the little kiddies and people I drive around won't die in a crash because I know how to stop the damm thing! Yay!)
I missed like 7 on my Class B test, but got a perfect on Air Brakes--the one I studied. Hm...maybe studying does pay off...? Let's see if the lesson sticks for the upcoming school year...*cough cough*
One more week of behind the wheel training and I'll be ready to test...and to drive you peeps around. MUAHAHAHAHA!!! (why the evil laugh? I think you know the answer...*cough* *cough*)
P.S. Hm, I've been coughing a lot at the end there. I don't think I have a cold, though...
Monday, July 26, 2010
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty
Because it's that AWESOME, I dedicated this whole post to it (despite all the other random interesting things happening in my life).
Yes, I'm very excited for the coming of this game. Why? I have no idea. My laptop is so crappy I can't even play the game properly on it. But if you don't know, I'm the story type of person when it comes to games (thus I like RPGs, games like Zelda, etc.). And it's been well over a decade since Starcraft first came out...followed by Brood War, which only ended in a cliffhanger of the Starcraft story.
At the end of Brood War, the main protagonist Kerrigan of the Zerg mysteriously ceases her attack on the Terran (humans exiled from Earth) despite the fact that she could have easily destroyed them all. Instead, she retreats to a infested planet.
So WHAT THE HELL, BLIZZARD? The story just kind of ends there.
But finally, FINALLY, SCii Wings of Liberty will see the beginning of Kerrigan's return. Why did she not finish the job when she could have? What will Jim Raynor, the main character of the Terran race and old friend of Kerrigan's, do about it? Will the Protoss (a psionic alien race) redeem themselves and take back their home planet from the Zerg? (questions, etc etc)
The game is coming out tomorrow. I've watched all the trailers I could find on Youtube and I have to say, everything looks epic. There even seems to be a clip from the first Starcraft game's timeline: when Kerrigan was first abandoned by her race, the Terrans (thus she ultimately became the number one evil person with the Zerg).
I know, I know, most people (like the Koreans) play SC because of it's multiplayer balance and strategy necessity. I'm excited for that too, but the lack of LAN makes it kind of hard for me on a laptop which such a terrible graphics card.
ONE MORE DAY...!
Then...Heart of the Swarm? Legacy of the Void? :D
Yes, I'm very excited for the coming of this game. Why? I have no idea. My laptop is so crappy I can't even play the game properly on it. But if you don't know, I'm the story type of person when it comes to games (thus I like RPGs, games like Zelda, etc.). And it's been well over a decade since Starcraft first came out...followed by Brood War, which only ended in a cliffhanger of the Starcraft story.
At the end of Brood War, the main protagonist Kerrigan of the Zerg mysteriously ceases her attack on the Terran (humans exiled from Earth) despite the fact that she could have easily destroyed them all. Instead, she retreats to a infested planet.
So WHAT THE HELL, BLIZZARD? The story just kind of ends there.
But finally, FINALLY, SCii Wings of Liberty will see the beginning of Kerrigan's return. Why did she not finish the job when she could have? What will Jim Raynor, the main character of the Terran race and old friend of Kerrigan's, do about it? Will the Protoss (a psionic alien race) redeem themselves and take back their home planet from the Zerg? (questions, etc etc)
The game is coming out tomorrow. I've watched all the trailers I could find on Youtube and I have to say, everything looks epic. There even seems to be a clip from the first Starcraft game's timeline: when Kerrigan was first abandoned by her race, the Terrans (thus she ultimately became the number one evil person with the Zerg).
I know, I know, most people (like the Koreans) play SC because of it's multiplayer balance and strategy necessity. I'm excited for that too, but the lack of LAN makes it kind of hard for me on a laptop which such a terrible graphics card.
ONE MORE DAY...!
Then...Heart of the Swarm? Legacy of the Void? :D
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Twilight, Questions, and Buses
Today my class and I learned about buses and air brakes and how to inspect them. Well, I now know what every single light on a Bluebird shuttle bus is for, how to inspect air brakes on a bus, and the parts of a bus engine and how to check them.
I also learned how to operate a lift and identify components of the air brake system.
But that aside, this evening I spent my time answering questions off of Yahoo Questions. One of them asked for a name for a fanfic about Jacob Black's cousin who turns into a werewolf. This reminds me of something from long ago, back in the days of me writing...
I often go to this site called babynames.com to search for character names, or find inspiration for creating original names. Well, I read one of their articles about authors naming characters (because I'm curious and I read everything). There, they had a list of posts from authors who offered to give suggestions to others who have difficulty finding names.
One of these posts was from Stephanie Meyer talking about finding romantic names for her two main characters, classy but modern enough to connect to. She settled on Edward and Isabella (Bella for short, and modernity).
Anyway, I just wanted to share a bit of random, tidbit Twilight trivia with everyone...from a distant memory. :)
I also learned how to operate a lift and identify components of the air brake system.
But that aside, this evening I spent my time answering questions off of Yahoo Questions. One of them asked for a name for a fanfic about Jacob Black's cousin who turns into a werewolf. This reminds me of something from long ago, back in the days of me writing...
I often go to this site called babynames.com to search for character names, or find inspiration for creating original names. Well, I read one of their articles about authors naming characters (because I'm curious and I read everything). There, they had a list of posts from authors who offered to give suggestions to others who have difficulty finding names.
One of these posts was from Stephanie Meyer talking about finding romantic names for her two main characters, classy but modern enough to connect to. She settled on Edward and Isabella (Bella for short, and modernity).
Anyway, I just wanted to share a bit of random, tidbit Twilight trivia with everyone...from a distant memory. :)
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Where to Read Manga without Onemanga
I don't know if you know but Onemanga.com is shutting down. I know that a few of us read manga from there so I am just offering a few alternatives that I know are virus-free and pop-up free and stuff. That way we don't have to download anything and can read online.
First is www.mangastream.com by binktopia. They are a scanlating group that only does a few series but very fast and HQ. They delete old chapters that are released in the US in volume format, but for the latest chapter of Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, or a few others, you can find it here.
Second is www.mangafox.com where scanlators upload chapters themselves (Onemanga is a group of people who upload all the chapters). However, since it's a free-for-all between scanlators, the site is pretty messy and some series may have random missing chapters. It's a good place to start though.
There are a few others too that are limited. Some series you can find at the scanlator's website (you usually know who did the chapter by the title page everyone always skips over at the end or beginning). For example, Keishou scans has online viewing for their works at www.keishou.net which includes Beelzebub, Kattekyo Hitman Reborn, and several others. Most sites by scanlators themselves are safe because they want people to read stuff they've scanlated. Beware of fake scanlating groups though. www.mangaupdates.com has a legitimate and updated list of scanlating group information and websites if you're not sure. Just enter a name or a series in the search and it will tell which groups scanlate the manga, and where the group's website or IRC channel or forum is.
This is info on the vast scanlating world crammed into a nutshell. Since the closing down of MangaHelpers (translators and scanlation groups get together here), the golden age of scanlating manga ended. Onemanga leaving is only a continuation of that decline. I just want to make sure no one is getting swindled by sites that make you pay (*cough* narutofan.com bleachworld.com animeplus.com *cough*) and protect computers from online threats :)
DON'T PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT'S FREE. And sites like Narutofan don't even scanlate for themselves, they steal and profit from the work of groups that do it for the love of the series! If you pay for something, MAKE SURE IT IS TO THE ORIGINAL ARTIST AND AUTHOR WHOM WE WANT TO SUPPORT (in other words, buy the volume when it comes out)!
First is www.mangastream.com by binktopia. They are a scanlating group that only does a few series but very fast and HQ. They delete old chapters that are released in the US in volume format, but for the latest chapter of Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, or a few others, you can find it here.
Second is www.mangafox.com where scanlators upload chapters themselves (Onemanga is a group of people who upload all the chapters). However, since it's a free-for-all between scanlators, the site is pretty messy and some series may have random missing chapters. It's a good place to start though.
There are a few others too that are limited. Some series you can find at the scanlator's website (you usually know who did the chapter by the title page everyone always skips over at the end or beginning). For example, Keishou scans has online viewing for their works at www.keishou.net which includes Beelzebub, Kattekyo Hitman Reborn, and several others. Most sites by scanlators themselves are safe because they want people to read stuff they've scanlated. Beware of fake scanlating groups though. www.mangaupdates.com has a legitimate and updated list of scanlating group information and websites if you're not sure. Just enter a name or a series in the search and it will tell which groups scanlate the manga, and where the group's website or IRC channel or forum is.
This is info on the vast scanlating world crammed into a nutshell. Since the closing down of MangaHelpers (translators and scanlation groups get together here), the golden age of scanlating manga ended. Onemanga leaving is only a continuation of that decline. I just want to make sure no one is getting swindled by sites that make you pay (*cough* narutofan.com bleachworld.com animeplus.com *cough*) and protect computers from online threats :)
DON'T PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT'S FREE. And sites like Narutofan don't even scanlate for themselves, they steal and profit from the work of groups that do it for the love of the series! If you pay for something, MAKE SURE IT IS TO THE ORIGINAL ARTIST AND AUTHOR WHOM WE WANT TO SUPPORT (in other words, buy the volume when it comes out)!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Youtube
Only one thing today: What the heck is the Youtube logo change for? It says "02 days" next to it and I can see some sort of dark brown circle thing behind the "tube" of "Youtube"...
Youtube is, unfortunately, not like the google homepage that if you hold the mouse over the logo it tells you what it is, or if you click on it there is an automatic search of it.
Youtube is, unfortunately, not like the google homepage that if you hold the mouse over the logo it tells you what it is, or if you click on it there is an automatic search of it.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Beat Freaks
What happened today? I started shuttle training and learned a lot of stuff. But I'm really tired and I'm only thinking of sleep and the Beat Freaks (because I just watched some of their stuff)
I didn't know BGirl Shorty is only a year older than I am, and it's funny she calls the other members (I think Maryss) "mom" or someone else "grandma" (Lady Jules? haha)
They are so cute, all of them! I wouldn't be able to choose a favorite, honestly. I even like Al*Star and she wasn't even on ABDC (America's Best Dance Crew) with them. They are all great. Recently they've been prominently dancing in Justin Bieber's Somebody to Love music video. You can't miss them, since they are wearing Beat Freaks shirts. Only six of them are in it. I think Lady Jules and Shorty are missing...they were probably off doing other projects?
Oh yeah, and Rino is going to be a Pussycat Doll! Not that I like the group, or Nicole Scherzinger, but they are a prominent name and it will definitely get Rino even more famous...
In any case, Freak the Dream, people! :D
I didn't know BGirl Shorty is only a year older than I am, and it's funny she calls the other members (I think Maryss) "mom" or someone else "grandma" (Lady Jules? haha)
They are so cute, all of them! I wouldn't be able to choose a favorite, honestly. I even like Al*Star and she wasn't even on ABDC (America's Best Dance Crew) with them. They are all great. Recently they've been prominently dancing in Justin Bieber's Somebody to Love music video. You can't miss them, since they are wearing Beat Freaks shirts. Only six of them are in it. I think Lady Jules and Shorty are missing...they were probably off doing other projects?
Oh yeah, and Rino is going to be a Pussycat Doll! Not that I like the group, or Nicole Scherzinger, but they are a prominent name and it will definitely get Rino even more famous...
In any case, Freak the Dream, people! :D
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Updates
I've been sorta-pet sitting for my sister the last couple of days. This includes three llamas, two turtles, and a kitten from whom I now have battle scars. One of the turtles used to be mine, when he could fit in the palm of my hand...now he's huge! His name is Machiavelli Turtle, otherwise known as Mr. Turtle. The other turtle is Senor Tortuga :D
The kitten is named Kitty by my brother-in-law. Not because she's a kitten, but after Kitty Wells, the Queen of Country. I guess that means Kitty can also be called Ellen then, since Kitty Wells was born "Ellen Muriel Deason"? Who knows. This kitten is mixed and has half black face, half tabby face. Like straight down the middle. If I didn't look closely, it looks fake, because the divide is so straight...
I can't remember the llamas' names...one of them is Destiny. I just tell them apart because one of them has a black butt, one of them is completely white, and the last has a white butt but has black spots. Confused? Yeah...
I start work training tomorrow. Fun!...
Until the next time I post, then...
The kitten is named Kitty by my brother-in-law. Not because she's a kitten, but after Kitty Wells, the Queen of Country. I guess that means Kitty can also be called Ellen then, since Kitty Wells was born "Ellen Muriel Deason"? Who knows. This kitten is mixed and has half black face, half tabby face. Like straight down the middle. If I didn't look closely, it looks fake, because the divide is so straight...
I can't remember the llamas' names...one of them is Destiny. I just tell them apart because one of them has a black butt, one of them is completely white, and the last has a white butt but has black spots. Confused? Yeah...
I start work training tomorrow. Fun!...
Until the next time I post, then...
Friday, July 16, 2010
Summer Storms
Today I experienced a hot and muggy summer rain, the first of that sort I can remember. Say what you will, but I have almost no experience when it comes to vary states of weather; I grew up in a place where there was pretty much only one season year-round: a spring-ish autumn-ish place. Heck, the first time I remember seeing a thunderstorm was when I was seven years old on the other side of the country. And I have yet to see snow fall yet.
Though I did once get hit on the head by hail. Does that count?
On a random note, today I was playing Starcraft II Beta and watching Last Comic Standing. Randomly, my twin brother who is currently in a different state than I am coincidentally was doing the same thing...at the same time. Freaky, considering that SCii and Last Comic don't typically go together...
On other news that don't relate to me at all, I wonder how that super-octopus, the one that guessed all the results of the FIFA World Cup correctly, tastes like? Those Germans...anyway, congrats to Spain! Out of the top four, I figured that Spain was going to win. Yay for 25% chance guessing! (it's the secret of multiple choice tests. Except now they have the ridiculous "E" choice...20% odds...hmph.)
That's all I can think of for now....
Though I did once get hit on the head by hail. Does that count?
On a random note, today I was playing Starcraft II Beta and watching Last Comic Standing. Randomly, my twin brother who is currently in a different state than I am coincidentally was doing the same thing...at the same time. Freaky, considering that SCii and Last Comic don't typically go together...
On other news that don't relate to me at all, I wonder how that super-octopus, the one that guessed all the results of the FIFA World Cup correctly, tastes like? Those Germans...anyway, congrats to Spain! Out of the top four, I figured that Spain was going to win. Yay for 25% chance guessing! (it's the secret of multiple choice tests. Except now they have the ridiculous "E" choice...20% odds...hmph.)
That's all I can think of for now....
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Taking Over The World
I'm talking about Google, of course.
But along the lines of what else is taking over the world, there are several superpowers that are steady but not exactly making any progress in the power field:
Starbucks. Once a strong contender, now being beaten to a pulp. Not to mention there's no longer free WiFi there. Lame.
McDonalds. People know that you get fat here. And they've seem to have gone as far as they can. Unless they start taking measures to the north and south pole, they've got a wall in front of their progress.
BP Oil...?
Apple. Because now that they have come up with a phone that is everything besides a working cell phone, they have officially stopped developing useful things and should be publicly humiliated for it. Unfortunately, Apple fanatics still defend Steve Jobs and his arrogant ass. So, for now, they are not making any improvement, but not dying, either. (if you don't know what I'm talking about, see iPhone 4)
Youtube. Oh, wait. I forgot that it's also part of Google now.
This blogging site?...oh yeah, that's part of Google too...
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. 'Nuff said.
Chinese people. (If you hadn't noticed, Chinese people now make up more than 1/3 of the world's population...all the other ethnicities combined make up the 2/3!!) It doesn't matter that China has restricted the number of children born in families. They have no way of keeping track of everyone, especially out in the boonies. And China doesn't encompass ethnically Chinese people in other countries and stuff. We breedz like rabbitz!
Care to add to the list? I'm really tired and this is just a few random things that I was thinking about, and now I head off to bed...
Bye, and thanks for all the fish! -42
But along the lines of what else is taking over the world, there are several superpowers that are steady but not exactly making any progress in the power field:
Starbucks. Once a strong contender, now being beaten to a pulp. Not to mention there's no longer free WiFi there. Lame.
McDonalds. People know that you get fat here. And they've seem to have gone as far as they can. Unless they start taking measures to the north and south pole, they've got a wall in front of their progress.
BP Oil...?
Apple. Because now that they have come up with a phone that is everything besides a working cell phone, they have officially stopped developing useful things and should be publicly humiliated for it. Unfortunately, Apple fanatics still defend Steve Jobs and his arrogant ass. So, for now, they are not making any improvement, but not dying, either. (if you don't know what I'm talking about, see iPhone 4)
Youtube. Oh, wait. I forgot that it's also part of Google now.
This blogging site?...oh yeah, that's part of Google too...
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. 'Nuff said.
Chinese people. (If you hadn't noticed, Chinese people now make up more than 1/3 of the world's population...all the other ethnicities combined make up the 2/3!!) It doesn't matter that China has restricted the number of children born in families. They have no way of keeping track of everyone, especially out in the boonies. And China doesn't encompass ethnically Chinese people in other countries and stuff. We breedz like rabbitz!
Care to add to the list? I'm really tired and this is just a few random things that I was thinking about, and now I head off to bed...
Bye, and thanks for all the fish! -42
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Starcraft II and Names
I'm currently downloading a patch for the beta version of Starcraft II. It's going 1 MB a minute, 444 MB to go. Fuck Blizzard, seriously. I've been sitting here for like two hours.
It's the patch #17 (also known as 0.20.0.16036). If you know how to make it go fasterrrrr, please tell me!
And about the names: today I was filing away lots of stuff, and I had to write down a person's name while checking their birth dates. While I did this, I realized that there were a lot of names that really match up to what year or time period they were born in. Well, a lot of names are timeless, like David or something. But I noticed many Johns and Patricias are 1930's or 1950's, for example, while names like Tyreses or Avrils are 1990s generally.
Odd stuff. Can you think of any "time period" names?
It's the patch #17 (also known as 0.20.0.16036). If you know how to make it go fasterrrrr, please tell me!
And about the names: today I was filing away lots of stuff, and I had to write down a person's name while checking their birth dates. While I did this, I realized that there were a lot of names that really match up to what year or time period they were born in. Well, a lot of names are timeless, like David or something. But I noticed many Johns and Patricias are 1930's or 1950's, for example, while names like Tyreses or Avrils are 1990s generally.
Odd stuff. Can you think of any "time period" names?
Scripts and Airbenders
Seeing as how people were talking about the crappiness of The Last Airbender's script job, directing, and acting in general, I felt wholly inspired to write a script of my own that I felt would do the animated series justice. It isn't just about copying framing from the original series to make it familiar. It's about the themes and the characters.
But my movie would probably be closer to two hours or more, aimed for slightly older people (or at least kids that have a longer attention span of an hour. That's the alleged reason why the movie was cropped short). I mean come on, Harry Potter is supposedly for young adults and kids, and the movies aren't crazy short!
The downfall of the actual movie The Last Airbender is that it doesn't trust viewers enough to be able to connect with characters or understand what's going on without explicitly saying it out loud. And it also doesn't trust kids to be able to focus on a movie for very long (either that, or they already knew how terrible the movie was that they hoped to make the excruciating experience...well, a little less excruciating.)
Unfortunately though, no matter how inspired I am to write this script, a two hour movie is like at least 150 pages of writing. Like hell I'm doing that for free!
Anyway, watch the entire animated show again rather than the movie. Or at least your favorite episodes. Mine include The Runaway and all the season finales :)
But my movie would probably be closer to two hours or more, aimed for slightly older people (or at least kids that have a longer attention span of an hour. That's the alleged reason why the movie was cropped short). I mean come on, Harry Potter is supposedly for young adults and kids, and the movies aren't crazy short!
The downfall of the actual movie The Last Airbender is that it doesn't trust viewers enough to be able to connect with characters or understand what's going on without explicitly saying it out loud. And it also doesn't trust kids to be able to focus on a movie for very long (either that, or they already knew how terrible the movie was that they hoped to make the excruciating experience...well, a little less excruciating.)
Unfortunately though, no matter how inspired I am to write this script, a two hour movie is like at least 150 pages of writing. Like hell I'm doing that for free!
Anyway, watch the entire animated show again rather than the movie. Or at least your favorite episodes. Mine include The Runaway and all the season finales :)
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Flags and Poles: the Rules
Today I saw a flag at half-staff. That probably means that someone recently snuffed it...
It spurred a discussion between me and one of my brother-in-laws about the rules of flags in the US, a couple of which are (in no particular order):
1. Flags must never be raised at nighttime, or else they need an external light on them.
2. Tattered flags must not be raised.
3. Don't touch the flag on the ground.
4. Half-staff (or half-mast) means that someone died, or they are commemorating someone who died.
5. The national flag must be flown higher above any other flags, such as the state flag. Thus, if there is more than one flag on the same pole, then the national flag goes on top.
6. In no situation should a flag of a different country be flown on the same pole as the national flag, nor raised higher while in the homeland.
7. If you need to dispose of a flag, boy scouts or fire departments may usually tend to that (this isn't really a rule, but it covers rules about disposing flags that I'm not sure about).
Now, this is obviously the tip of the iceberg and I've barely grazed the subject of rules concerning flags, but it does give me food for thought.
On another note, I want to see the movie Despicable Me really, really badly. It's SO CUTE LOOKING!!
P.S. Cheryl Tweedy, still sick with Malaria, cancelled her concerts and will be pulling out of being a judge on the British show, the X-factor :(
It spurred a discussion between me and one of my brother-in-laws about the rules of flags in the US, a couple of which are (in no particular order):
1. Flags must never be raised at nighttime, or else they need an external light on them.
2. Tattered flags must not be raised.
3. Don't touch the flag on the ground.
4. Half-staff (or half-mast) means that someone died, or they are commemorating someone who died.
5. The national flag must be flown higher above any other flags, such as the state flag. Thus, if there is more than one flag on the same pole, then the national flag goes on top.
6. In no situation should a flag of a different country be flown on the same pole as the national flag, nor raised higher while in the homeland.
7. If you need to dispose of a flag, boy scouts or fire departments may usually tend to that (this isn't really a rule, but it covers rules about disposing flags that I'm not sure about).
Now, this is obviously the tip of the iceberg and I've barely grazed the subject of rules concerning flags, but it does give me food for thought.
On another note, I want to see the movie Despicable Me really, really badly. It's SO CUTE LOOKING!!
P.S. Cheryl Tweedy, still sick with Malaria, cancelled her concerts and will be pulling out of being a judge on the British show, the X-factor :(
Friday, July 9, 2010
It's MY Invention!!
So I learned something new today while I signed my soul away at the Shuttle Driver Application Orientation. Let's play 2 lies 1 truth--basically that means out of the three options below, only one of them is true:
1) I am enslaved for life, destined to drive a bus at minimum wage forever.
2) I will be driving Ironhide, a Cybertronian Minibus who works with Optimus Prime, to fight against the Decepticons. I will be receiving some training on deciphering ancient Cybertronian symbols within the coming week. (shh, this is all top secret!)
3) If I discover the cure to cancer or something while I'm on the clock, it's actually not my idea: it's the University, and it belongs to the university.
...
figured it out yet?
...
I LIED all of them are true!!! (just kidding) You probably would have figured this out if you actually read the title of this post *cough cough*.
So yes, the correct option is #3. This particularly bothered me, being a writer whose head is constantly full of writing ideas, and I'm constantly jotting notes down and things like that. That means if I'm on the job and I get a great plot idea, or I come up with a darn awesome character, the University could claim it was theirs. Heck, if I was driving the bus when it hit me what the cure to cancer is, it's not my idea; it's the University's!
Sounds like a shitty clause, no? Well, the reason why it's there is apparently because of lab work. Say I found the cure to cancer using the University's resources and stuff. The University would then have claims to my findings. However, they decided it was a great idea to include this clause to ALL the people working for the university, including us poor bus drivers.
Which is bullshit, because I'd hardly call the bus legitimate resources. I'm picking up a ton of people, but not getting a single date, if you get my drift. (haha...driving puns intended!)
Where's Optimus when you need him? ...beat some sense into that clause...*mutter mutter*
1) I am enslaved for life, destined to drive a bus at minimum wage forever.
2) I will be driving Ironhide, a Cybertronian Minibus who works with Optimus Prime, to fight against the Decepticons. I will be receiving some training on deciphering ancient Cybertronian symbols within the coming week. (shh, this is all top secret!)
3) If I discover the cure to cancer or something while I'm on the clock, it's actually not my idea: it's the University, and it belongs to the university.
...
figured it out yet?
...
I LIED all of them are true!!! (just kidding) You probably would have figured this out if you actually read the title of this post *cough cough*.
So yes, the correct option is #3. This particularly bothered me, being a writer whose head is constantly full of writing ideas, and I'm constantly jotting notes down and things like that. That means if I'm on the job and I get a great plot idea, or I come up with a darn awesome character, the University could claim it was theirs. Heck, if I was driving the bus when it hit me what the cure to cancer is, it's not my idea; it's the University's!
Sounds like a shitty clause, no? Well, the reason why it's there is apparently because of lab work. Say I found the cure to cancer using the University's resources and stuff. The University would then have claims to my findings. However, they decided it was a great idea to include this clause to ALL the people working for the university, including us poor bus drivers.
Which is bullshit, because I'd hardly call the bus legitimate resources. I'm picking up a ton of people, but not getting a single date, if you get my drift. (haha...driving puns intended!)
Where's Optimus when you need him? ...beat some sense into that clause...*mutter mutter*
Thursday, July 8, 2010
BEAT Freaks
Sometimes I wish I discover these people sooner! I've been watching dance videos off the internet all yesterday and today, especially over the awesome Beat Freaks group. Comprised of eight girls, this dance crew hails from LA and competed in Season 3 of ABDC (America's Best Dance Crew).
It's really a small world out there...freaky six degrees of separation stuff how I came across these girls. I was looking at Angry Asian Man's list of 30 people under 30 and one of the entries was about the first three season winners of ABDC: Jabbawockeez, Sup3r Crew, and Quest Crew, all of which are comprised partially of Asian guys (in the case of Quest Crew, they were all AAPI).
Well, I had to go check them out. Beat Freaks was runner up behind Quest Crew, and I fell in love with them...they danced while levitating a ball. On stage. In front of people. Live. How the heck did they do that?
I'm no expert in dancing for sure, but check this out: two of the members, Rino and Maryss, are choreographers for Kpop groups!! Most recently they worked with Super Junior on their newest release, "No Other". Considering how much I love Kpop, that's SICK!
:D :D :D <3 :D :D :D
P.S. Concerning my last blog about Cheryl Tweedy, I heard she caught malaria (potentially fatal disease, people). Feel better!!
It's really a small world out there...freaky six degrees of separation stuff how I came across these girls. I was looking at Angry Asian Man's list of 30 people under 30 and one of the entries was about the first three season winners of ABDC: Jabbawockeez, Sup3r Crew, and Quest Crew, all of which are comprised partially of Asian guys (in the case of Quest Crew, they were all AAPI).
Well, I had to go check them out. Beat Freaks was runner up behind Quest Crew, and I fell in love with them...they danced while levitating a ball. On stage. In front of people. Live. How the heck did they do that?
I'm no expert in dancing for sure, but check this out: two of the members, Rino and Maryss, are choreographers for Kpop groups!! Most recently they worked with Super Junior on their newest release, "No Other". Considering how much I love Kpop, that's SICK!
:D :D :D <3 :D :D :D
P.S. Concerning my last blog about Cheryl Tweedy, I heard she caught malaria (potentially fatal disease, people). Feel better!!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
3 Words by Cheryl Tweedy and will.i.am
I'm loving this song...it's very non-traditional, but it's completely captivating. Perhaps it's because I was watching the music video the first time I heard the song, because the music video was utterly fantastic...
...okay, other than the half-naked bodies lying everywhere on the floor, it was fantastic, especially the split-screen effect that kept splitting and connecting throughout the whole piece (if you don't get it, then watch and you'll understand right away!).
Another favorite was the white-wig outfit that Cheryl Tweedy dons while she is sitting on the cylinder. It's a great look, and there's no denying that she is a very beautiful person (on the outside...I have no idea about the inside).
For those of you that are wondering, Cheryl Tweedy and Cheryl Cole are the same person, Tweedy being the maiden name. Reason why I don't use Cole because her hubby, Ashley Cole (a famous football "soccer" player in the UK) and she are getting a divorce. So it's back to Tweedy for the time being!
A link to the video:
Youtube MV - 3 Words
P.S. Shoutout to my sister 6: It's her 3rd anniversary today!
...okay, other than the half-naked bodies lying everywhere on the floor, it was fantastic, especially the split-screen effect that kept splitting and connecting throughout the whole piece (if you don't get it, then watch and you'll understand right away!).
Another favorite was the white-wig outfit that Cheryl Tweedy dons while she is sitting on the cylinder. It's a great look, and there's no denying that she is a very beautiful person (on the outside...I have no idea about the inside).
For those of you that are wondering, Cheryl Tweedy and Cheryl Cole are the same person, Tweedy being the maiden name. Reason why I don't use Cole because her hubby, Ashley Cole (a famous football "soccer" player in the UK) and she are getting a divorce. So it's back to Tweedy for the time being!
A link to the video:
Youtube MV - 3 Words
P.S. Shoutout to my sister 6: It's her 3rd anniversary today!
Forum Blue and Gold
So the other day, I was reading up some articles from yomyomf (youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com) when I came across Offender Justin's May 7th post about the Arizona Suns basketball team changing their jerseys to include "Los Suns" rather than simply, "Suns" in recognition of Cinco de Mayo and the fact that...well, Arizona passed sb1070 (in other words, the Arizona law about illegal immigration).
But that's completely besides the point. The one thing that freaked me out the most was the fact that he mentions being a Lakers fan, and pointing out that the colors are forum blue and gold (not purple); being a Lakers fan myself, I was horrified that I hadn't heard of this, so I looked it up.
I came across a site that is solely dedicated to the purpose of stalking the Lakers and explaining this Forum Blue phenomenon. It talks about how Chick Hearn and Jack Kent Cooke (look 'em up if you care) had this thing going on where Cooke's favorite color was purple, but kept calling it blue, so one day someone coined the term Forum Blue for their colors (in reference to the Fabulous Forum).
So, the verdict is, Forum Blue = Purple (apparently) and I freaked out for no reason. It just goes to show that there's always something new to learn, even if you think you know it all!
links to the sites I was talking about:
yomyomf on Los Suns
Forum Blue Explanation
But that's completely besides the point. The one thing that freaked me out the most was the fact that he mentions being a Lakers fan, and pointing out that the colors are forum blue and gold (not purple); being a Lakers fan myself, I was horrified that I hadn't heard of this, so I looked it up.
I came across a site that is solely dedicated to the purpose of stalking the Lakers and explaining this Forum Blue phenomenon. It talks about how Chick Hearn and Jack Kent Cooke (look 'em up if you care) had this thing going on where Cooke's favorite color was purple, but kept calling it blue, so one day someone coined the term Forum Blue for their colors (in reference to the Fabulous Forum).
So, the verdict is, Forum Blue = Purple (apparently) and I freaked out for no reason. It just goes to show that there's always something new to learn, even if you think you know it all!
links to the sites I was talking about:
yomyomf on Los Suns
Forum Blue Explanation
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Released: The Last Airbender
This is a long post, but here goes:
What Has Been Going on in the Days Left Before the Release of the Movie, The Last Airbender?
With only a day left before the movie premiere and release across the United States, what can one expect from this movie The Last Airbender? Before we move on to the new good stuff, let's have a short recap of what has been going on surrounding this movie since it was announced over a year ago.
Based on the hit American animated television series known as Avatar: The Last Airbender (Or "The Legend of Aang" in some other countries), the movie was surrounded by fan hype the moment the news appeared that it was going to happen. Though the cartoon was aimed at a younger audience at first, it became evident that the themes and characters within the series had a depth no other Nickelodeon television series ever had, and the fan-base grew to include people and family members of all ages--including the man who was eventually announced as the director for the upcoming film: Director M. Night Shyamalan himself.
But it wasn't only the depth of the characters that captivated audiences: it was the premise, the story, and most of all, the culture that was adapted from so many Native and Asiatic cultures within the real world. Even the written language was ancient Chinese, and the names, such as "Aang" "Katara" and "Sokka", were not European names that American audiences were used to hearing on other shows such as "Hannah Montana" or "iCarly".
The movie garnered much attention when it announced it would look for relatively unknown children to act the parts of the main characters. The country was amiss with children begging and wishing to be chosen as Aang, the protagonist, or his friends Katara and Sokka. But one phrase, only five words long, destroyed everything: "Caucasian or any other ethnicity". For every main character, those five words were tacked onto the end of the casting calls. This was immediately followed by the four main characters within the first season of the show all cast as Caucasian, despite the fact that two of those characters were toned darker than most of the other characters within the same show. Fans of the TV show were literally ripped apart into two camps: movie-supporters and anti-racebenders, the term "racebending" referring to the manipulation of race in stride with how "waterbending" within the show meant manipulation of water.
But the show, or in this case the movie, must go on. With Shyamalan as the announced director, he assumed position of also writing the script. Sets within Pennsylvania were built, and plans for Shyamalan to film his first-ever movie that didn't originate from himself, and his first-ever movie to be filmed outside his home state, were made. Of course, characters and side-plots from the original series had to be weeded out, but fans could expect appearances of some characters; the character that kept a lot of fans on the edge of their seats wondering if he would make an appearance wasn't even human: Appa, Aang's six-legged flying bison, would make his presence in the movie using CG technology. Momo, Aang's pet lemur, will also appear in the movie.
A few other changes within the movie compared to the series could be noted, such as how the concept of firebending in the movie now requires most firebenders to draw from an existing source, rather than being expelled from their own spirits. This change most likely came from making special effects and the safety for actors more easy to manage. Also, the arrival of Sozin's Comet was changed from one year away to three years, probably making it easier to film three movies (each based on one season of the 3-season TV show) with growing children as actors. Otherwise, the overall premise and even the camera shots in the movie matched those within the original series.
However, the anti-racebenders and their supporters had begun to move against Paramount. Even MANAA (Media Action Network for Asian Americans) cited concerns on Paramount's hiring practices and the image of Asian Americans that the upcoming movie would present to millions of viewers worldwide. But Paramount ignored the concerns and avoided a meeting with MANAA and anti-racebenders until the movie was already in post-production--much too late, in any case, to do anything about casting. One change was that the main villains within the first movie, and the country of their origin, were changed from Caucasian to Indian/Middle Eastern. However, because of their villainous status, this did nothing to help address MANAA's concerns about the representation of Asians in the eyes of the United States, especially since the war in the middle east was in full swing.
Shyamalan did say during an interview that he recognized all the characters within the animated series to be racially "ambiguous", stating that the ambiguity was the beauty of Asiatic animation, creating characters that anyone and everyone could relate to, despite the fact that two of the main characters were noticeably colored much darker than the others. Eventually as the movie progressed to its finishing stages, producer Frank Marshall apologized for the "mistake" for the wording of the casting, saying that it was unintentional. However, the damage had been already done and the impact was irreversible--even accidents have repercussions and consequences.
So where does that leave us? A few more days left with a fan-battle still raging on. All the trailers released have demonstrated fantastic filming and editing on the part of the makers, but contained very little actual information on the actors and their performances, especially of Aang (he is never shown with a speaking part anywhere within the trailers). This only generates more speculation on whether the acting was any good at all. Also, the fact that the actors only had two months of martial arts training for the movie led to concerns on their ability to perform, especially since the animators for the original series practiced martial arts for a longer amount of time simply to draw the actions more accurately. But all of this speculation will become evidence once the movie comes out. Anti-racebenders ask people to boycott the movie while others stay indifferent to the casting choices.
TIME Magazine recently planned to ask Shyamalan ten questions about The Last Airbender and opened an online discussion thread for suggestions from fans on what to ask. At 23 pages long with over 550 questions asked (not including deleted inappropriate questions), many of the questions surrounded the abolishing of using ancient Chinese writing in the movie, preferring a made-up writing system instead, or the change of pronunciation of some names such as "Aang", "Sokka", and "Iroh" to more match how the name would actually be pronounced in its real-life origin, since the names were Americanized in the television show. But these questions generated even more queries on why, if the names had real-life counterparts and origins, did the characters not have cultural, real-life counterparts and origins? Though most of these questions will probably not be chosen out of the hundreds asked, they linger in the minds of many people who are much conflicted about the movie.
Ultimately, how will the movie fare with its upcoming release? There is no safe bet: Prince of Persia, which had a similar racial casting controversy, turned out to be a mediocre film. Also, The Last Airbender would be pitted against the release of Eclipse, from the ever-famous (or infamous) Twilight series. However, The Last Airbender will be made in 3-D and the stunning visual effects are sure to grab anyone's attention, even if the acting may be terrible. After all, James Cameron's Avatar (which was the reason why The Last Airbender wasn't called Avatar: The Last Airbender, like it's TV show counterpart) made it big because of the visual effects, despite the lack of any deep plot.
And though the scars from this battle may run deep in the fans of the television series, hopefully the coming of a new Avatar-world television series will bring the two clashing groups together. Avatar: The Legend of Korra, anyone?
Sources:
Shyamalan's Interview
MANAA's Response
TLA Updates
Airbender International
Anti-Racebender Accounts
TIME Questions for Shyalaman
Legend of Korra
What Has Been Going on in the Days Left Before the Release of the Movie, The Last Airbender?
With only a day left before the movie premiere and release across the United States, what can one expect from this movie The Last Airbender? Before we move on to the new good stuff, let's have a short recap of what has been going on surrounding this movie since it was announced over a year ago.
Based on the hit American animated television series known as Avatar: The Last Airbender (Or "The Legend of Aang" in some other countries), the movie was surrounded by fan hype the moment the news appeared that it was going to happen. Though the cartoon was aimed at a younger audience at first, it became evident that the themes and characters within the series had a depth no other Nickelodeon television series ever had, and the fan-base grew to include people and family members of all ages--including the man who was eventually announced as the director for the upcoming film: Director M. Night Shyamalan himself.
But it wasn't only the depth of the characters that captivated audiences: it was the premise, the story, and most of all, the culture that was adapted from so many Native and Asiatic cultures within the real world. Even the written language was ancient Chinese, and the names, such as "Aang" "Katara" and "Sokka", were not European names that American audiences were used to hearing on other shows such as "Hannah Montana" or "iCarly".
The movie garnered much attention when it announced it would look for relatively unknown children to act the parts of the main characters. The country was amiss with children begging and wishing to be chosen as Aang, the protagonist, or his friends Katara and Sokka. But one phrase, only five words long, destroyed everything: "Caucasian or any other ethnicity". For every main character, those five words were tacked onto the end of the casting calls. This was immediately followed by the four main characters within the first season of the show all cast as Caucasian, despite the fact that two of those characters were toned darker than most of the other characters within the same show. Fans of the TV show were literally ripped apart into two camps: movie-supporters and anti-racebenders, the term "racebending" referring to the manipulation of race in stride with how "waterbending" within the show meant manipulation of water.
But the show, or in this case the movie, must go on. With Shyamalan as the announced director, he assumed position of also writing the script. Sets within Pennsylvania were built, and plans for Shyamalan to film his first-ever movie that didn't originate from himself, and his first-ever movie to be filmed outside his home state, were made. Of course, characters and side-plots from the original series had to be weeded out, but fans could expect appearances of some characters; the character that kept a lot of fans on the edge of their seats wondering if he would make an appearance wasn't even human: Appa, Aang's six-legged flying bison, would make his presence in the movie using CG technology. Momo, Aang's pet lemur, will also appear in the movie.
A few other changes within the movie compared to the series could be noted, such as how the concept of firebending in the movie now requires most firebenders to draw from an existing source, rather than being expelled from their own spirits. This change most likely came from making special effects and the safety for actors more easy to manage. Also, the arrival of Sozin's Comet was changed from one year away to three years, probably making it easier to film three movies (each based on one season of the 3-season TV show) with growing children as actors. Otherwise, the overall premise and even the camera shots in the movie matched those within the original series.
However, the anti-racebenders and their supporters had begun to move against Paramount. Even MANAA (Media Action Network for Asian Americans) cited concerns on Paramount's hiring practices and the image of Asian Americans that the upcoming movie would present to millions of viewers worldwide. But Paramount ignored the concerns and avoided a meeting with MANAA and anti-racebenders until the movie was already in post-production--much too late, in any case, to do anything about casting. One change was that the main villains within the first movie, and the country of their origin, were changed from Caucasian to Indian/Middle Eastern. However, because of their villainous status, this did nothing to help address MANAA's concerns about the representation of Asians in the eyes of the United States, especially since the war in the middle east was in full swing.
Shyamalan did say during an interview that he recognized all the characters within the animated series to be racially "ambiguous", stating that the ambiguity was the beauty of Asiatic animation, creating characters that anyone and everyone could relate to, despite the fact that two of the main characters were noticeably colored much darker than the others. Eventually as the movie progressed to its finishing stages, producer Frank Marshall apologized for the "mistake" for the wording of the casting, saying that it was unintentional. However, the damage had been already done and the impact was irreversible--even accidents have repercussions and consequences.
So where does that leave us? A few more days left with a fan-battle still raging on. All the trailers released have demonstrated fantastic filming and editing on the part of the makers, but contained very little actual information on the actors and their performances, especially of Aang (he is never shown with a speaking part anywhere within the trailers). This only generates more speculation on whether the acting was any good at all. Also, the fact that the actors only had two months of martial arts training for the movie led to concerns on their ability to perform, especially since the animators for the original series practiced martial arts for a longer amount of time simply to draw the actions more accurately. But all of this speculation will become evidence once the movie comes out. Anti-racebenders ask people to boycott the movie while others stay indifferent to the casting choices.
TIME Magazine recently planned to ask Shyamalan ten questions about The Last Airbender and opened an online discussion thread for suggestions from fans on what to ask. At 23 pages long with over 550 questions asked (not including deleted inappropriate questions), many of the questions surrounded the abolishing of using ancient Chinese writing in the movie, preferring a made-up writing system instead, or the change of pronunciation of some names such as "Aang", "Sokka", and "Iroh" to more match how the name would actually be pronounced in its real-life origin, since the names were Americanized in the television show. But these questions generated even more queries on why, if the names had real-life counterparts and origins, did the characters not have cultural, real-life counterparts and origins? Though most of these questions will probably not be chosen out of the hundreds asked, they linger in the minds of many people who are much conflicted about the movie.
Ultimately, how will the movie fare with its upcoming release? There is no safe bet: Prince of Persia, which had a similar racial casting controversy, turned out to be a mediocre film. Also, The Last Airbender would be pitted against the release of Eclipse, from the ever-famous (or infamous) Twilight series. However, The Last Airbender will be made in 3-D and the stunning visual effects are sure to grab anyone's attention, even if the acting may be terrible. After all, James Cameron's Avatar (which was the reason why The Last Airbender wasn't called Avatar: The Last Airbender, like it's TV show counterpart) made it big because of the visual effects, despite the lack of any deep plot.
And though the scars from this battle may run deep in the fans of the television series, hopefully the coming of a new Avatar-world television series will bring the two clashing groups together. Avatar: The Legend of Korra, anyone?
Sources:
Shyamalan's Interview
MANAA's Response
TLA Updates
Airbender International
Anti-Racebender Accounts
TIME Questions for Shyalaman
Legend of Korra
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